Two sentenced to life imprisonment for murder at Keralam’s Agali

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The Additional Sessions Court, Mannarkkad, on Saturday sentenced two men to life imprisonment for the murder of George Thomas at Agali, Attappady, in 2016. A third accused was acquitted for lack of evidence.

Judge Jaya Prabhu sentenced Augusti Pappachan, 76, and Joseph Shiju, 44, both from Agali, to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh each.

The incident took place on May 24, 2016. George was found seriously injured outside the house of the first accused, Augusti, and died soon after. The postmortem examination found multiple injuries caused by blunt objects, mainly on the chest and torso.

According to the prosecution, a financial dispute between George and Joseph over a loan led to the murder.

Special public prosecutor P. Jayan produced witness statements and medical and material evidence to establish that Augusti and Joseph had assaulted George with wooden sticks and coconut leaf stalks.

The court found that the prosecution had proved the charges of murder against Augusti and Joseph. It held that the two had acted with a common intention to kill George.

The third accused, Reji, 56, was acquitted as the prosecution failed to establish his involvement in the crime.

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