Authorities are appealing to the public to help locate a 38-year-old Ragama resident who was sentenced to death in absentia for a 2019 murder, after failing to appear in court.

Police have launched a public appeal to locate a 38-year-old man from Ragama who is currently wanted following his death sentence conviction in connection with a murder case. The Negombo High Court handed down the capital punishment after finding the individual guilty of killing a woman in the Walpola area within the Ragama Police Division during 2019.

The death sentence was imposed in absentia under the Criminal Procedure Code, a legal mechanism that permits proceedings when the accused does not present themselves before the court. The convict's failure to appear during the trial proceedings resulted in the judgment being delivered without his physical presence in the courtroom.

In their appeal for public cooperation, police have asked anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the wanted individual to contact authorities. The Ragama Police Division's Officer in Charge can be reached at 0718591604, while the Crime Division's OIC is available at 0719627561.