Former Prison Superintendent Emil Ranjan Lamahewa has been sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court over 2012 Welikada prison riots.

Former Inspector of the Police Narcotics Bureau Neomal Rangajeewa has been acquitted in the case.

The riot which broke out during a search for illegal arms in the prison premises left 27 people dead and 40 injured.

The Government appointed a committee to probe the matter and subsequently Lamahewa and Rangajeewa were arrested by the police over the massacre.