Case against Duminda FIXED FOR TRIAL
The case against former Parliamentarian Duminda Silva and 12 other accused over the killing of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was yesterday fixed for trial by the Colombo High Court and hearings are to start from October 12.
The case was taken up before a special Trail-at-Bar comprising three High Court Judges Shiran Gunaratne, Pathmini N. Ranawaka and C.B.S. Moreis.
The case is to be heard from Monday to Wednesday of each week from October 12.Meanwhile, Court permitted the prosecutors to proceed with the case in the absentia of tenth accused Janaka Bandara who had reportedly gone missing after being abducted by an unknown gang following the murder incident.
Accordingly, twelve accused including former MP Duminda Silva informed court that they were not pleading guilty when the charges were read out in the Court room.
The accused who were indicted before Colombo High Court were; Anura Thushara De Mel, Chandana Jagath Kumara, Chaminda Ravi Jayanath, Lanka Rasanjana, Malaka Sameera, Vidanagamage Amila, Sarath Bandara, Suranga Premalal, Saman KumaraAbeysinghe, Janaka Bandara, Duminda Silva, Rohana Marasinghe and Nagoda Liyanarachchige Chaminda. They had been indicted by the Attorney General under 17 counts of murdering, attempting to murder, causing injuries, unlawful assembly and possessing a firearm.
The accused had been charged for the killing of Mr. Premachandra, Dharshana Jayathilaka, Mohamed Azmy and Manimel Kumaraswamy and inflicting gunshot injuries o n M r. Premachandra’s bodyguard Rajapurage Gamini after being the members of unlawful assembly on October 8, 2011 at Walpola, Mulleriyawa.
Meanwhile, Court ordered that third accused Chaminda Ravi Jayanath to be remanded till the next trial date for violating the bail condition by not appearing before the CID on the last Sunday of every month.
Senior State Counsel Thusitha Mudalige appeared for the Attorney General. President’s Counsel Anil Silva appeared for eleventh accused Duminda Silva and Senior Counsel Asoka Weerasuriya appeared for the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth accused. Counsel Anuja Premaratne appeared for the first accused.
Court permitted the prosecutors to proceed with the case in the absentia of tenth accused Janaka Bandara who had reportedly gone missing after being abducted by an unknown gang following the murder incident Accordingly, twelve accused including former MP Duminda Silva informed court that they were not pleading guilty when the charges were read out in the Court room.