Sri Lanka, Nov. 21 -- The Court of Appeal today (21) upheld the death sentence imposed on five defendants convicted of transporting over 152 kilograms of heroin along the southern coast in 2019, by the Colombo High Court.

The order was issued by a Court of Appeal bench comprising Justices P. Kumaran Ratnam and Pradeep Hettiarachchi, dismissing the appeals filed by the defendants against the sentence, Ada Derana reporter said.

The appeals sought orders to acquit the defendants and release them from the charges, claiming that the High Court's decision to impose the death sentence was unlawful.

Additional Solicitor General Shanil Kularatne, appearing for the Attorney General during the appeal hearing, informed the court that the defendant...