Thirty-two defendants who were remanded in connection with the murder of former Polonnaruwa District Member of Parliament Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his security officer Police Sergeant Ahangama Vitharanalage Jayantha Gunawardena were granted bail by the Gampaha special three-member High Court bench, yesterday (28).
Bail was set at Rs.100,000 per person, and surety bail of Rs. 2 million per person for the 32 individuals which totalled cash bail of Rs. 3.2 million and surety bail of Rs. 64 million.
Bail was ordered when the case was called before the three-judge panel consisting of Judges Sahan Mapa Bandara (Chairman), Rashmi Singappuli and D.A.Ruwan Pathirana.
It was also ordered that 128 persons should sign for the guarantee of one person, four persons each for the thirty-two persons.
It was also ordered that four persons signing the guarantee of one person should be themother and the father or two close relations.All were banned from travelling abroad. It was also ordered to inform the Immigration controller about the ban on travelling abroad. After posting bail, the defendants were also ordered to appear before Nittambuwa Police onSundays every week between 9 am and 1 pm. These bail conditions were also ordered to be implemented regarding the five defendants who were released earlier on bail.
Open warrants were issued for the two defendants, Lasantha Sameera and Ashan Peiris, who have not been arrested.
According to statements obtained under State Counsel Oswald Perera, from Anoja Randima, the wife of Lasantha Sameera and Laxman Senaratne, Grama Niladhari of Nambadaluwa East, it was revealed that the accused had fled to Dubai. The three-member High Court Bench decided to conduct the trial without the two defendants due to the fact that the Chinese wife of the defendant, Ashan Peiris did not disclose the whereabouts of the accused.
Tony Karunanayake and Veyangoda special corr.