Judge Sarath Ambepitiya case :

Trial-at-Bar fixed for May 9
 

by Sandasen Marasinghe

The Trial-at-Bar hearing the High Court Judge Sarath Ambepitiya murder case yesterday fixed the trial for May 9, to be heard on daily basis at the Colombo High Court after serving the indictment on Mohammed Niyas Naufer alias Potta Naufer and four others.

Mohammed Niyas Naufer alias Potta Naufer, Sujith Rohana Rupasinghe, Suminda Nishantha, Udara Perera and Lasantha Kumara were produced before the Colombo High Court by the Welikada Prison. 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.

Mohammed Niyas Naufer alias Potta Naufer, Sujith Rohana Rupasinghe, Suminda Nishantha, Udara Perera and Lasantha Kumara were indicted for conspiring to murder High Court Judge Sarath Ambepitiya and his Police bodyguard Chief Inspector R. A. Upali around November 19, 2004.

The last mentioned four were indicted for committing the murder of High Court Judge Sarath Ambepitiya and his body Guard on November 19, 2004 in front of his residence at Cinnamon Gardens. Potta Naufer was indicted for aiding and abetting the latter four to commit the murder.

Solicitor General C. R. de Silva appearing for the prosecution informed the Court that the prosecution intends not to request to issue notice on all the witnesses of this case on the very first day of hearing of the case on certain reasons but to produce them before the Court through Police at the necessity after informing the Defence Counsels to which the Defence Counsels did not object.

Solicitor General C. R. de Silva also informed the Court the prosecution intends to produce few mobile phones and also a record with regard to the calls taken by them are also included in the indictment. The prosecution also informed that the Defence has the permission to inspect those computers by which the reports with regard to mobile phone calls were taken.

Further the Solicitor General pleaded permission to produce the Case record of the 693/2001 case which is being heard before the Colombo High Court in which Potta Naufer is an accused.

The Court also ordered the finger prints of the accused to be taken and the reports be sent before the Court. Solicitor General C. R. de Silva, Senior State Counsel Kapila Vidyaratne, Senior State Counsel Sarath Jayamanna, State Counsel Ms Haripriya Jayasundara and State Counsel Dinethi Liyanage appeared for the Attorney General. President's Counsel Tirantha Walaliyadda, Sumith Parakrama, Pushpakumara Amugoda, Nalin Velaratne instructed by Laxman Perera appeared for the first accused while Akalanka Ukwatta appeared for the second and fourth accused. Methsiri Paranavitana appeared for the third and fifth accused.

Niel Dias appeared for the interest of the aggrieved party, High Court Judge Sarath Ambepitiya while Nimal Muthukumarana appeared for the aggrieved party on behalf of the High Court Lawyers Association.