Sri Lanka Trending English News - Latest international news headlines, pictures, and video

Arts Degree for Death Row Prisoner

A man who has been sentenced to death for the murder of Bambalapitiya businessman Mohamed Shiyam has obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree by studying while in prison, said a Welikada Prison source.

This is the first time a prisoner has accomplished such a feat in the history of the prison, a Prisons Department source said.

The prisoner is an ex-sub inspector of police named, B. A. Lakmini Indika Bamunusinghe, an appellant prisoner in Chapel Ward, its director Chandana Ekanayake said.

He had been studding for the B.A. as an external student of Sri Jayawardenapura University at the time of his arrest.

He has received special permission from the Commissioner General of Prisons to attend the convocation ceremony at the BMICH today (Jan. 5). (Jayantha Samarakoon)