156th Day of the Main Easter Attack Trial – HC (TAB) 2972/21
Date: 13th March 2026|
Venue: Special Trial-at-Bar, Colombo 07
The matter was taken up before the Trial-at-Bar. All accused were present, except the 17th accused, who had passed away.
The 4th accused had made an application to the court in the previous day stating that certain corrections were required in the record of evidence dated 5th March 2026, specifically in the portion after 2:50 p.m. Accordingly, the relevant recording for that segment was played in open court in the presence of all accused, and the necessary corrections were made to the record.
On this date, the Prosecution Witness No. 12 Tharanga, Prosecution Witness No. 19 Sub-Inspector Pramod, and Prosecution Witness No. 11 Police Sergeant Dassanayake, from the additional witnesses list, were present before the Court in order to give evidence in relation to the voir dire inquiry of the 4th accused.
PW 19, Sub-Inspector Pramod, testified that on 4th October 2020, acting on the instructions of Senior Superintendent of Police Kavinda Piyasekara, he, together with Police Sergeant Tharanga and Police Inspector Duminda, produced the 4th accused before the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) along with MLEF No. 128/20 issued by the Police Sergeant 66533 Dassanayake, who was in charge of the CID sub-unit on that day. He further stated that the 4th accused was not produced before a dentist. PW 19 identified the document P 182. Thereafter, he was cross-examined by the 4th and 9th accused, while counsel for the 12th and 13th accused informed the court that he would not cross-examine the PW 19. The prosecution then re-examined the witness.
The Prosecution Witness No. 11, Police Sergeant Dassanayake, testified that the 4th accused, who had been detained on the 6th floor of the CID, was taken out at approximately 9:50 a.m. together with officer 13731 Tharanga and produced before Senior Superintendent of Police Kavinda Piyasekara at around 10:20 a.m. PW 11 further stated that entries relating to this were recorded in the relevant information books. The witness also testified that on 4th October 2020, after producing the 4th accused before the JMO, he was again produced before the said Senior Superintendent of Police. The witness identified document P182.
During cross-examination by the 4th accused, it was suggested that Prosecution Witness No. 11 had selected officer Tharanga solely on the instructions of Senior Superintendent of Police Kavinda Piyasekara, and that such instructions had been recorded in writing. It was further suggested that the witness was inconsistent, changing his position from moment to moment, and was giving false evidence by claiming that he himself selected officer Tharanga. It was also suggested that on 4th October 2020, after the 4th accused was produced before the JMO and returned to the CID, he was detained for approximately two hours at the Commercial Crimes Investigation Division, and that the witness was falsely testifying that the accused was thereafter produced before the said Senior Superintendent of Police. It was further suggested that false entries had been made in this regard.
During cross-examination by the 9th accused, it was suggested that the witness was falsely stated that the 4th accused had been taken from the detention cell on the 6th floor of the CID on the instructions of Senior Superintendent of Police Kavinda Piyasekara. It was further suggested that records indicated that the removal of the 4th accused was carried out on the instructions of ASP Vijitha Perera, and that such entries had been signed by the witness himself; this was admitted by the witness. It was also suggested that the witness was testifying in court by referring to a fabricated document containing invented facts. Thereafter, cross-examination was conducted on behalf of the 12th and 13th accused. Upon re-examination, the prosecution sought to clarify that on 4th October 2020, the 4th accused was produced before Senior Superintendent of Police Kavinda Piyasekara at approximately 10:20 a.m., and that the entries relating to removal of the 4th accused from the detention cell on the 6th floor contained the name of the said officer.
Subsequently, the prosecution sought permission from court to include an additional witness in the additional witnesses list dated 26th January 2026 relating to the voir dire inquiry of the 4th accused. Accordingly, Police Constable 76258 Perera was added as Prosecution Witness No. 21. Prosecution Witness No. 12 was directed to appear before court on the next date. Further, summons was ordered to be issued to Prosecution Witness No. 2 in the additional list, retired Senior Superintendent of Police Prasanna Alwis.
The matter was fixed to be called again on 16th March 2026 at 10.00 a.m. for further trial.
