Easter Attacks: Indictments filed against 24 accused

COLOMBO (News 1st); 24 accused including Naufer Maulavi were indicted on Monday (4), over the 2019 April 21st Attacks.

The indictments were presented in the presence of Justices Damith Totawatte, Amal Ranaraja, and Nawaratne Marasinghe of the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar.

The Attorney-General had filed 23,270 charges against the accused.

The case was filed against 25 accused, however, accused number 15 was not produced in court on Monday (4) as he was infected with COVID-19.

Counsel appeared on behalf of 12 of the accused in court and the other accused requested the court to appoint counsel with a Tamil understanding to appear for them.

In her opening submissions, Additional Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundara PC told the court that the Attorney General's Department would not hesitate to produce anyone in court irrespective of their status if they act in a manner that threatens National Security, Territorial Integrity, and Sovereignty.

She said the Attorney General's Department is committed to making Sri Lanka a country that is free of terrorism.

ASG Jayasundara PC told the court that the barbaric attacks by a group of extremists at a time when National & Religious coexistence was being created after a three-decade-long war, had in fact tarnished national unity to a certain extent.

She said the Attorney General's Department paid extra attention to these reasons when filing charges against the accused.

The case will be called up on the 23rd of November 2021.