. Impey

Henry Impey came to the island of Celyon (Sri Lanka). He acquired a property in the Northern Province where he settled and married a Singhalese women with whom he had lived with. Two children from this relationship, Francis Wellington Impey and Cecilea Penelope Caroline Impey. Henry died having made a joint will with his wife. October Mrs Impey was appointed by the district court of Colombo to be guardian of the children. In 1865 Cecilea eloped with Juan. Once married Juan Perera applied to the court to remove Mrs Impey as guardian of Francis Wellington Impey. He charges that Mrs Impey was living with a concubine one Simon Sedemberen. At first Mrs Impey resisted the application but she withdrew the opposition during the court hearing. Juan Perera was appointed guardian. Following from this date Mrs Impey lodged numerous court appeals to have the inheritance changed on various forms. The applications were presented to the courts in the handwriting of Simon Sedemberen. It was clear from this that he had been living with him for some years and was influential to her. Simon Sedemberen went missing on 4th March. Mrs Impey at first did not suspect any foul play as her Son Frances (Johnny) handed her a letter and money from which he had sent. It wasn’t until a letter was receive written in Singhalese did she become aware as Simon Sedemberen could not write or read this language. Mrs Impey raised the alert with the Court and the police to whom commenced an investigation into his whereabouts. Here the authorities discover a calculated plan where Simon had been murdered. They arrested the young Francis Impey, Juan Perera, Juan Nadie and Batta Gura. Information from the investigation lead to the search for the body at Dehiwells about nine miles from Colombo on Galle Road and in the garden of Batta Gura a skeleton was found on the 28 October. His brothers identified the body.

At the trial Francis Impey and Juan Perera were sentenced to death.