Deputy Solicitor General Sudharshana de Silva appearing on behalf of the Attorney General informed the Court that prosecution witness Suresh Kumar is staying in France illegally and prosecution failed to repatriate him back.
Considering the circumstances, the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar issued a warrant to arrest Sumathipala Suresh Kumar and produce him before the Court.
Charge sheet against the defendants was read out in open Court and all the accused declared that they were not guilty of the charges. Accordingly, the prosecution was ordered to commence the trial by Trail-at-Bar.
Deputy Solicitor General Sudharshana De Silva told the Court that the testimony of prosecution witness, Sandya Eknaligoda was to be handled by the Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris.
However, DSG Sudharshana de Silva informed the Court that Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris had appealed to the Presidential Commission to perform essential duties and sought Court permission that the hearing of the case be postponed until the next day.
Accordingly, the Trial-at-Bar decided to postpone the case until March 16.
The case filed against nine army intelligence officers in connection with the abduction and murder of Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda was yesterday re-fixed for trial on March 11 by the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar.
The case was yesterday taken up before the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar bench comprising High Court Judges Sampath Abeykoon (President), Sampath Wijeratne, and Gihan Kulathunga and summons were issued to two prosecution witnesses to appear before the Court on next hearing.
Attorney General had filed indictments, comprising 17 charges under section 32, section 32 read with section 296, section 32 read with section 355, section 102,113(B) section 355, section 146, section 146 read with 356, section 356, section 359 of the Penal Code in the High Court against nine Army intelligence officers attached to the Giritale Army Camp in connection with the abduction and murder of Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda.
The Attorney General had named Lieutenant Colonel Shammi Arjun Kumararatne, R.M.P.K. Rajapaksa alias Nadan, W. W. Priyantha Dilanjan Upasena alias Suresh, S.M. Ravindra Rupasena alias Ranji, Y.M Chaminda Kumara Abeyratne, S. M. Kanishka Gunaratne, Aiyyasami Balasubramaniyam, D.G.T Prasad Gamage and T.E.R. Pieris as accused in the case for abduction charges.
Senior State Counsel Sudarshana de Silva appeared on behalf of the Attorney General. President’s Counsel (PC) Anil de Silva, PC Anura Maddegoda and PC Anuja Premarathna appeared for the defence.
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