by Sandasen Marasinghe

The hearing of the Colombo High Court Judge Sarath Ambepitiya murder case was fixed for March 16 by the Colombo High Court.

Notice was issued on Mohammed Niyas Naufer alias Potta Naufer and four others through the Welikada Prison Superintendent to appear before Court on March 16.

The date was fixed for hearing when the Attorney General filed the case before the Colombo High Court yesterday.

The case will be heard before a Trial-at-Bar appointed by Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva on the Attorney General's request.

The Trial-at-Bar will comprise High Court Judge Upali Abeyratne (President), High Court Judge W. A. T. Ratnayake and High Court Judge I. M. Abeyratne.

The Attorney General's Department filed indictment against Mohammed Niyas Naufer alias Potta Naufer, Sujith Rohana Rupasinghe, Suminda Nishantha, Udara Perera and Lasantha Kumara for conspiring to murder Ambepitiya and his Police Bodyguard Chief Inspector R. A. Upali.

Charges were filed against the last mentioned four suspects for committing the murder of Ambepitiya and his bodyguard on November 19, 2004 and Potta Naufer for aiding and abetting the latter to commit the murder.