142nd Day of the Main Easter Attack Trial – HC (TAB) 2972/21
Date: 16th February 2026|
Venue: Special Trial-at-Bar, Colombo 07
The above matter was taken up for trial on 16 February 2026 at approximately 10.10 a.m. before the Honourable Judges Navaratne Marasinghe, Sujeewa Nissanka, and Ramanathan Kannan sitting as the Permanent Trial-at-Bar of the Special High Court.
On the said date, the Department of Prisons produced before Court all 24 accused persons presently in custody. (The 17th accused is reported to be deceased.) Upon production, it was observed in open court that the 10th accused was persistently coughing and appeared to be experiencing visible physical distress.
The Attorney General’s Department continued to appear for the prosecution. However, the learned Counsel appearing for the 12th and 13th accused persons was absent on the said date. The learned Counsel representing the aggrieved party was also not present in the Court. It was further noted that, out of the 24 accused, legal representation is presently available only for the 12th and 13th accused.
The Judges informed that the relevant security authorities have been notified regarding the matter discussed on the previous date of trial, namely, the facilitation of court attendance for the relatives of the accused persons. The Judges further stated that, upon receipt of the views and observations of the security authorities, the Court would issue and pronounce the appropriate order in that regard.
The 10th accused, Abdul Latheef Mohamed Saafi, also known as Saafi Maulavi, also known as Abu Furqan, who had not been produced on the previous date of trial due to illness, was produced before Court on the said date. The Attorney General’s Department inquired from Court regarding the medical condition of the said accused.
At that juncture, the Honourable Presiding Judge stated that, pursuant to the order issued by Court on the previous date, the relevant medical reports had been forwarded to Court on the same day by the Prison Hospital Medical Officer and the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer.
The Judge Marasinghe further stated that, according to the report of the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer, the 10th accused was required to receive treatment at the National Hospital of Colombo under the supervision of a specialist medical practitioner. Accordingly, in order to ensure immediate and appropriate compliance, copies of the said reports together with the relevant order had been scanned and transmitted via email by the Registrar of Court to the Superintendent of the Colombo Remand Prison.
The Attorney General’s Department thereafter questioned as to how the 10th accused could have been produced before the Court on the said date, in circumstances where the Judicial Medical Officer had recommended specialist treatment at the National Hospital. In response, prison officials submitted that the accused had been receiving treatment at the Prison Hospital and had been temporarily brought to Court solely for the purpose of being produced to the court.
Notwithstanding the said explanation, the Trial-at-Bar repeatedly questioned the prison authorities as to the basis upon which the accused was produced before the Court, in light of the medical recommendation for specialist treatment at the National Hospital of Colombo.
The Court further inquired as to the steps taken pursuant to the letter addressed by Court to the Superintendent of Prisons on the evening of Friday, 13 February 2026. Prison officials informed the Court that the accused had been admitted to the Prison Hospital. The Court continued to inquire as to the justification for producing the accused in the Court, given that the Judicial Medical Officer had recommended referral to specialist supervision at the National Hospital.
Subsequently, prison officials stated that the 10th accused had been admitted to the National Hospital of Colombo on Friday , and that upon discharge (described as the “ticket being cut”), he had thereafter been admitted to the Prison Hospital. Prison officials further submitted that the accused had been temporarily produced from the Prison Hospital for the purpose of the trial proceedings, and that upon conclusion of the day’s proceedings, he would be returned to the Prison Hospital.
Thereafter, the bench directed the Superintendent of the Colombo Remand Prison to submit to Court a report detailing all steps taken in compliance with the Court’s order issued on the evening of 13th February 2026 in relation to the 10th accused. The Bench further ordered that, upon conclusion of the day’s proceedings, the 10th accused be admitted to the Prison Hospital.
Subsequently, the 25th accused, Mohamed Akram Ahakkam, raised his hand and informed the Court that he required copies of the witness statements recorded over the preceding days. He requested that the Registrar of Court be directed to furnish such copies. The Court informed that the said copies had been prepared and that they would likely be available for collection on the same day.
The 20th accused, Seinul Abdeen Mohamed Jaseem, thereafter addressed the Court and stated that he required a translated copy of his statement. He submitted that he was unable to translate the copy provided to him as the contents were unclear and not legible. He accordingly requested that a properly printed and readable copy be furnished to him. The Court examined the copy in the possession of the accused, and the Honourable Presiding Judge observed that it was not readable. The Court therefore directed the court staff to provide the accused with a readable copy.
The Trial-at-Bar thereafter informed the Court that it was not possible to proceed with the trial on the said date due to the absence of the learned Counsel appearing for the 12th accused, Mohamed Swahir Mohamed Hasan (also known as Abu Dawood), and the 13th accused, Mohamed Ifthikar Mohamed Insaas (also known as Abu Mohamed). Accordingly, the case was fixed for trial on the 17th of February 2026 at 10.00 a.m.
After the Honourable Judges rose from the Bench, it was observed that the 10th accused, Saafi Maulavi, was lying down on the bench. It was further observed that marks (spots) were visible on his hands.
Next date: 17th of February 2026 at 10.00 a.m.
