Royal Park murder: Judge calls for restraint from Counsel

Sandasen Marasinghe

COLOMBO: Colombo High Court Judge I. M. Abeyratne yesterday expressed his displeasure during the Royal Park murder trial when Defence Counsel Daya Perera PC attempted to rush a witness.

The Judge suggested that the witness should be given enough time to explain his answer.

The President's Counsel was cross examining Registrar of the Finger Print Department at the Trial. The Registrar of the Department of Finger Prints Wijekoon Mudiyanselage Wijesinghe giving evidence said the finger print found at the murder scene was of a person who was climbing down the stairs.

Re-examined by Deputy Solicitor General Jayantha Jayasuriya witness said he found no difference between the palm print found at the murder scene and the finger and palm prints that were sent to him on the orders of the Colombo Magistrate.

Police Sergeant P. Satarasinghe of Keselwatta Police, the fingerprint officer at the Colombo Magistrate Court examined by the DSG said he took three sample prints of palm and finger of both hands of D.S. Jude Anthony Jayamaha. Thereafter he handed them over to the Additional Fingerprints Registrar Tikiri Banda.

Police Inspector E. Samarawickrama of the Search Division of the Finger Prints Bureau said he went to the murder scene with his assistants on July 1 last year. He was being examined by DSG Jayantha Jayasuriya. He said he found three finger print marks and labelled them with the date and his signature.

One fingerprint on the right side of wall was that of a person climbing down the stairs from the 20th floor to the 19th floor. Another fingerprint was on the railing of the 18th floor. The third fingerprint was on the railing of the stairs just above the body of the victim.

Witness said his photographer Police sergeant Premakumara took the photographs and following day the negatives were given to the witness. On July 3 he received the photographs of the fingerprints and witness handed them over to Police Inspector Chandrapala, the head of the Search Unit of the Finger Prints Bureau.

Sharman Jude Anthony is charged with the murder of Yvonne Jonsson on July 1, 2005 at the Royal Park premises.

Deputy Solicitor General Jayantha Jayasuriya, and State Counsel Lakmali Karunanayake appeared for the prosecution. Further hearing were put off for today.