Aragalaya killings Trial-at-Bar: Facial recognition technology for first time

The Attorney General has made arrangements to adopt facial recognition identification technology into the country’s justice system for the first time during the Trial- at- Bar on the killings of Polonnaruwa District parliamentarian Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his bodyguard.

The technology will be used to positively identify the accused who have been indicted before the three-judge High Court Trial-at-Bar over the killings, which took place on May 9 last year in Nittambuwa during the height of the ‘Aragalaya.’

When the trial began at the Gampaha High Court on Friday, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Prasanna Bandara informed the court that the AG’s Department would be introducing the new technology during the trial.

He said this would enable the Department to analyse CCTV footage of the incident and check if the faces of those seen in the footage match the accused, making it possible to identify whether the accused were actually involved in the crime. He said the intention was to positively identify those responsible for the crime and ensure they were punished.

Forty- one accused have been indicted on 14 counts. Two of the accused have passed away, while two others are being tried in absentia. One of those accused is known to be overseas, while the other is yet to be arrested. However, both accused are being represented by lawyers. The trial is being heard before a three-judge bench comprising High Court Judges Sahan Mapa Bandara (President), Rashmi Singappuli and Ruwan Pathirana.

All accused pleaded not guilty after the indictments were read out to them on Friday.