Nampamunuwa murder trial transferred to Colombo High Court

Kapila Somaratne, Panadura group correspondent

On the instructions of the Chief Justice Sarath N. de Silva, Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanee Gunaratne transferred the Nampamunuwa murder case to Colombo Provincial High Court for trial.

The accused an the case are Colombo District Peoples Alliance exparliamentarian and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Chief Organiser for Kesbewa K. D. Chandana Kathriarachchi alias Devage, G. G. Sunil Perera, Ruwan Chandana Fernando, M. Mahesh Perera and K. G. Nihal Suresh.

They were indicted by the attorney general with being members of an unlawful assembly armed with pistol came near the Gorakapitiya cooperative stores Premises at Salgashandiya Nampamunuwa committed the murder of Kathriarchchige D on Chandraratne Kathriarchchi allies Devage by shooting and caused injuries to Kathriarchchige Don Karunaratne alias Devage on August. 24 1996.

The trial was taken up by three high court Judges at the Panadura Provincial high court Party and finally the case came up for a Jury trial before Panadura Provincial high court Judge Malanee Gunaratne.

The trisy trial lasted for about three weeks before the Judge Pronounced the Judgement, two unidentified youth posed a death threat to the foreman of the Jury. On his complaint Piliyandala police arrested two suspects the Judge was informed about the matter by Wasantha Navaratne Bandara Deputy Soliator General and State Counsel Chamath Dileepa Peeris.

The Judge dissolved the Jury and suspended the trial. The accused who were on remand were bailed out and requested the Chief Justice to appoint another Judge to hear the case. Since the Jury trial began before the Panadura Provincial High Court during March 2007 the 4th accused Nihal Suresh was absconding and the Judge issued warrants through SSP Edisen Gunatilleka Mount Lavinia and Kandy SSP Senaviratne to arrest the 4th accused Nihal Suresh.

Special police teams were deployed to search the accused but to date the Sri Lanka Police or the police Intelegence bureau were unable to trace the whereabouts of the accused.

On Thursday when the case was called before the Panadura Provincial high court, Judge Malanee Gunaratne informed the accused present in court that the case has been transferred to Colombo zone high court and to appear before court when they receive summons. They were warned not to violate the bail conditions.