Sri Lanka, Feb. 3 -- Badulla High Court Judge Prasanna Alwis last week sentenced 11 defendants to death in a murder case which occurred more than 20 years ago.

The judgement relates to the murder of 23 year old Bandula Jayawardena Thisera on May 29, 2004 in Uva Paranagama, Galahagama are where 13 suspects were indicted under 11 charges.

The High Court judge also ordered to acquit Senaka Ranjith Premaratne who was the first defendant in the case.

While the case was being heard, it was revealed in the trial that R.P.K. Pathirana, who was named as the seventh defendant in the case, has died and the 12th defendant, Rukman Indika, has gone abroad.

Accordingly, the defendants in the case, Asanka Seneviratne,

Suneth Sanjeeva Rupasinghe, Roh...