Special Bench of SC Judges reserve judgement in Revision Application

by Wasantha Ramanayake

A special Bench of five Supreme Court Judges yesterday reserved the judgement in the Revision Application seeking the release of the LTTE cadre who had been convicted and sentenced by the High Court in connection with attacking four army camps.

Petitioner Nallaratnam Singarasa who was in the Kalutara Prison filed the revision application to revise its own order of the Supreme Court that refused to grant Special Leave to Appeal from the Judgement of the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal from the judgment of the High Court.

The petitioner stated that he was convicted and sentenced to 10 years RI for each of the five counts to be run consecutively by the High Court.

The five counts included conspiracy charges to overthrow the government and attacking four army camps.

The petitioner stated that the application was pursuant to the findings of the Human Rights Committee (HRC) of the United Nations established under the International Covenant of the Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) seeking to set aside the order of the Supreme Court that refused to grant the Special Leave to proceed with his appeal.

Petitioner stated that the HRC had found that certain sections of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) under which the petitioner was arrested and detained and convicted of was in violation of the ICCPR, to which Sri Lankan Government was a signatory.

The Bench comprised Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva PC and Justices Nihal Jayasinghe, N. K. Udalagama, Nimal Dissanayaka and Nimal Gamini Amaratunga.

Petitioner stated that he was a casual labourer resided in Batticaloa and had was arrested in 1993. He was detained under the PTA.

Senior counsel R. K. W. Gunasekera with Savithri Gunasekera instructed by E. Mariampillai appeared for the petitioner.

Deputy Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda appeared for the Attorney General.