Date: December 11, 2025
Case Number: HC(TAB) 2972/21
Venue: Special Trial-at-Bar, Colombo 07
The case was taken up before the Trial-at-Bar. All accused were present, except for the 17th accused, who had passed away. All parties were represented.
Today, the 4th witness listed in the witness list was called to give evidence before the Court. He testified that he has a sister residing in Mawanella, who has several children, including one named Sahid Abdul Huck, and he identified 5th and 14th accused in Court, stating that the 5th accused stayed in his house for only one day. He further testified that he had been in remand custody for eight (months and ten (10) days and was released on 17th October 2019.
During cross-examination it was suggested to him that he was unable to identify the 5th accused’s brother due to instructions allegedly given by the learned counsel for the 5th accused, that he was giving false evidence by introducing new stories before Court, that the date of his release was incorrect, and that he was testifying without proper knowledge. Upon re-examination the witness clarified that he had been released on 17th October 2025, that he had not spoken to the Attorney-at-Law of the 5th accused, and that he had been unaware of who represented the 5th accused.
The learned Counsel informed the Court that the witnesses sought to be called on behalf of the 5th accused have now been concluded.
The Court directed the parties to file the Written Submissions on or before 12th January 2026 and informed that the order relating to the voir dire inquiry will be delivered on 2nd February 2026.
The Court further informed that several additional voir dire inquiries would be held, during which further witnesses would be called to give evidence, and no objections were raised in this regard by either the Prosecution or the Defence.
The Court ordered that Summons be issued to Prosecution Witness (PW) 2140, Hon. Magistrate Upul Rajakaruna, and informed the prosecution to take formal steps in this regard, given that the witness is a sitting judge.
The Court further directed the High Courts and the Magistrate’s Court of Kegalle and Mawanella to transmit the relevant case records to the Special Trial-at-Bar before 10.00 a.m. on 12th December 2025 and ordered the Prosecution to file the witness list without delay.
The matter was fixed to be called again on 12th December 2025 at 10.00 a.m. for the continuation of the evidence-in-chief in the voir dire inquiry into the admissibility of the confession attributed to the 15th accused.
Next Date: 12th December 2025 at 10.00am
