Trial against EX-DIG Anura Senanayake to be heard in absentia on February 3

The Colombo High Court Judge Vickum Kaluarachchi yesterday fixed the hearing of the case against Senior DIG Anura Senanayake for screening evidence of the murder of Havelock Sport Club rugby player Wasim Thajudeen for February3.

At the outset of the inquiry the Defence Counsel pleaded that the accused was seriously ill and hospitalized and being treated for his illness. He said the accused cannot personally appear in court for the case and to fix the trial to be heard in absentia of the accused in accordance with Section 214 of the Evidence Ordinance. Hence the trial was fixed to be heard in absentia of the accused.

DIG Senanayake was accused of having screened the evidence into the death of Wasim Thajudeen by knowing or having reason to believe that an offence punishable by death had been committed and provided false information by screening the offender from legal punishment. Thajudeen was killed apparently in a road accident on 12 May 2012. Later it was revealed that the death was a murder.

The court had earlier summoned six prosecution witnesses including former Narahenpita OIC Sumith Champika Perera to appear before court on 23 October to give evidence.

Senanayake was indicted in the High Court under Section 198 of the Penal Code for screening offenders

The Defence Counsel pleaded that the accused was seriously ill and hospitalized and being treated for his illness

of Thajudeen’s murder from legal punishment.

24 witnesses including Wasim Thajudeen’s sister Fathima Thajudeen and Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer Prof. Ajith Tennakoon are named to give evidence for the Prosecution.

The corpse of Thajudeen was found inside his burnt car by the parapet wall of Shalika Grounds in Narahenpita on 12 May 2012.