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Bindunuwewa case : Welfare officer identifies 15 bodies of inmates

by Indeewara Thilakaratne

The witness A. K. Nisthar, a welfare officer at the Bindunuwewa camp has identified 15 bodies as of the inmates. The photographs of the deceased were identified by the witness, when the Bindunuwewa massacre case came up before the Trial at Bar at Hulftsdorp yesterday.

The witness was being examined by State Counsel Priyantha Nawana. The Trial at Bar comprised High Court Judges Sarath Ambepitiya (President), Eric Basnayaka and Upali Abeyratne.

According to the indictment, 41 accused are charged on 83 counts including unlawful assembly, committing the murders of 28 persons and attempted murder of 14 others at the Bindunuwewa Rehabilitation Centre at Bandarawela on October 25, 2000. Cross-examined by the Defence Counsel Kumara Siriwardana, the witness said the camp was fortified by a fairly strong barbed wire fence and a high wall. The fence was broken in certain places which gave likely access from outside.

Another witness, D. Somadasa, a police officer attached to the Bindunuwewa camp during his period said that IP Karunasena with a group of police officers left the police station about 8.50 pm for Bindunuwewa camp. They carried T 56 assault rifles with them. PC Mahasen Bandara, who was in charge of the police armoury issued weapons and magazines to the police team. Thirty magazines were issued to each police officer.

Cross-examined by the Defence Counsel Kumara Siriwardana, the witness Somadasa said that he was informed of an incident at the Bindunuwewa camp by the Police telephone operator. The team of police officers then headed by HQI rushed to the scene. However, little later, the HQI came back to the police and informed the witness that the situation at the camp was well under control and instructed the witness to contact him for any emergency. The witness was not aware that police reinforcements were called. Re-examined by State Counsel Priyantha Nawana, Somadasa said that he obtained a list of names of those police officers who left for the Bindunuwewa camp from another officer and copied it on to the day-entry book.

Further hearings will resume on September 5.

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