Colombo High Court hearing the Nadaraja Raviraj murder case yesterday, commences its hearing on a day-to-day basis before a Special Jury.
When the case came up before High Court Judge Manilal Waidyatilleke, seven persons who are graduates of recognized universities were appointed as members of the jury to hear the case.
The first witness in the case, a State witness is to testify today (23).
Meanwhile, making his initial submissions on behalf of the prosecution, Senior Deputy Solicitor General Rohantha Abeysooriya, with Senior State Counsel Suharshi Herath appearing for the Attorney General, submitted to Court that a T-56 weapon suspected to have been used in the shooting was one of the weapons out of 150 issued by the Giritale Army camp to the Karuna faction.
On a previous occasion, the Colombo High Court allowed to proceed with the Raviraj murder trial in absentia of the three accused Palana Sami Suresh alias Sami, Sivakanthan Vivekanandan alias Charan and Fabian Royston Tusen who were evading Court since the initiation of investigations.
Indictments were filed against six accused Palana Sami Suresh alias Sami, Prasad Chandana Kumara alias Sampath, Gamini Seneviratne, Pradeep Chaminda alias Vajira, Sivakanthan Vivekanandan alias Charan and Fabian Royston Tusen on five counts, including committing the murder of former MP Nadaraja Raviraj and his security officer Lokuwella Murage Laksman under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Penal Code.
Three accused who were not present in Court, had been identified as ex-LTTE cadres affiliated to the Karuna faction. Wijeya Wickrema Manamperige Sanjaya Preethi Viraj was made State witness for the Raviraj murder trial.
Raviraj was shot dead near his residence at Manning Town in Narahenpita during the period between November 9, 2006 and November 10, 2006 when he was driving his vehicle along Martha Road. The CID recovered the trishaw and the weapon alleged to have been used in the killing of the former parliamentarian.
Senior Deputy Solicitor General Rohantha Abeysooriya with Senior State Counsel Suharshi Herath appeared for the Attorney General.
Senior Counsel Anuja Premaratne appeared for the accused, while Counsel K. V. Thavarasa appeared for the aggrieved party.
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