‘Saw T-56 weapons placed near dead prisoner bodies’ - witness | Daily News
Welikada Prison riots case: Prison officer witness received death threats :

‘Saw T-56 weapons placed near dead prisoner bodies’ - witness

Prosecution witness Magazine Prison Assistant Superintendent Kuda Bandara yesterday further testified before the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar over the case filed against the three accused over the killing of eight inmates during the Welikada Prison Riots that took place on November 9, 2012.

In his testimony yesterday, witness Bandara told court that he had previously deliberately concealed some facts because he had been with death in a phone call from an unidentified person on the day before the initial inquiries into the incidents. He said that after the incident at the Magazine Prison he found some bodies of prisoners while investigating the prison premises and then, on inspecting those dead bodies on a second occasion, he saw T 56 type firearms had been placed near their bodies.

The case was taken up before the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar bench comprising three High Court judges Gihan Kulathunga (President), Pradeep Hettiarachchi and Manjula Thilakarathna.

At a previous occasion, Inspector Moses Rangajeewa attached to the Police Narcotics Bureau and of Magazine Prison Superintendent Lamahewage Emil Ranjan were ordered to be released on bail by the Trial-at-Bar bench, Each of the accused was ordered to be released on a cash bail of Rs.100, 000 with two sureties of Rs.5 million and The first and second suspects were barred from leaving the country.

Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya has nominated a Trial-at-Bar bench comprising High Court judges Gihan Kulathunga (President), Pradeep Hettiarachchi, Manjula Thilakarathna to hear the Welikada Prison Riot case.

The Attorney General had filed indictment comprising 33 charges against the Moses Rangajeewa attached to the Police Narcotics Bureau and of Magazine Prison Superintendent Lamahewage Emil Ranjan and Prison officer Indika Sampath over the killing of eight inmates during the Welikada Prison Riots that took place on November 9, 2012.The eight prison inmates who were killed in the incident are Kankanmalage Malinda Nilendra Pelpola, Attapattu Sangakkara Nirmala Atapattu, Mohammed Wijayarohana, Chinthamani Mohottige Thushara Chandana , Asarappulige Jothipala, Harshan Sri Manakeerthi Perera , Raigamage Susantha Perera, Devamullage Malith Sameera Perera.

Deputy Solicitor General Dilan Ratnayake with Senior State Counsel Madhawa Tennakoon appeared for the Attorney General. President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne with Nalinda Indatissa appeared for the defence.

 

 

 


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