This is about the news item in your paper of December 18, 2004 under the caption "Drug peddlers sentenced to life imprisonment".

My concern is not about the sentence the learned judge handed down which the two accused richly deserve. It is about the delay in concluding this straightght forward case.

Khanna was arrested for possessing heroin on September 19, 2000 and Gunasekera on May 19, 2001 while the sentence was passed on December 17, 2004, a delay of four years and three months and three years and seven months respectively.

Could the AG’s Dept. or police enlighten us on this inordinate delay.