179th Day of the Main Easter Attack Trial – HC (TAB) 2972/21
Date: 30th April 2026|
Venue: Special Permanent Three-Judge High Court (Trial-at-Bar), 2nd Floor, MCC Building, Adhikarana Mawatha, Colombo 12.
Prosecution led the evidance of the witnesses of the prosecution in the Voir Diar Inquiry of the 9th accused.
Evidence was led from PW4, PW5, PW6, PW7, and PW9 of the additional List of Witnesses in the Voir Diar Inquiry of the 9th accused regarding custody movements of the 9th Accused on 3, 5, 7 and 8 of October 2020, including production of the 9th accused before ASP Jayathilaka, temporary handovers, and return to the Control Unit.
The witnesses generally testified to a sequence of custody transfers between Control Unit officers and investigating officers, with corresponding entries made in Record Information Books (RIB) and Pocket Note Books (PNB). Suggestions of inconsistencies or fabrication put to them during cross-examination were denied.
Karunarathna Herathge Rohana (Police Sergeant)
PW4 testified that on 3 October 2020 at about 2:50 p.m., while serving at SCIU Unit 2, the 9th Accused informed him of a request to meet a superior officer, which was recorded in his Pocket Note Book. He also stated he was on duty from around 6:30 a.m. During cross-examination by the 9th and 4th Accused, he was questioned regarding the floor of detention, timing, and record entries, which he denied as inconsistent suggestions.
PW5 – Bajjala Gendara Gunarathna (Police Sergeant)
PW5 stated that on 3 October 2020 he was on duty in Upasewaya in control Unit and at about 2:50 p.m. he received instructions from ASP Jayathilaka to produce the 9th Accused to his office. Custody of the accused was taken at 2:40 p.m. and returned at 3:32 p.m. He testified that entries were made in the RIB and denied allegations of fabrication. He was cross-examined by the 9th, 4th, and 5th Accused regarding timing and custody procedures.
PW6 – Police Constable Herath Wasanta Kumara Herath
PW6 testified that on 5 October 2020, he was on duty in Stand by Service and at about 2:20 p.m. he received custody of the 9th Accused from the Control Unit with handcuffs, produced him before ASP Jayathilaka, and returned him to the Control Unit at about 3:32 p.m. These events were recorded in RIB and PNB. He was cross-examined by the 9th and 4th Accused and denied allegations of false recording.
PW7 – Kalubowilage Upul Indika Kalubowila (Police Sergeant)
PW7 stated that on 7 October 2020, he was on duty in Stand by Service and at about 2:50 p.m. he received custody of the 9th Accused, produced him before ASP Jayathilaka at about 3:00 p.m., and the accused was returned at about 3:35 p.m. He further stated the accused was later handed over at about 3:47 p.m. to Control Unit officer- Mr. Aruna Shantha (Police Sergeant), with entries made in RIB. He was cross-examined by the 9th and 4th Accused and denied falsification.
PW9 – Sisira Palitha (Inquiry Officer)
PW9 stated that he was in the SCIU 2 on 08 /10/2020, the statement of the 9th Accused was recorded in his presence. The accused was seated nearby, given opportunity to read and understand the statement, and demonstrated Sinhala language comprehension. Allegations of coercion, assault, or threats, including in relation to document “L1”, on 08th of October 2020 were denied. He was cross-examined by the 9th Accused.
During re-examination, witnesses PW4, PW5, PW6, PW7, and PW9 confirmed that RIB and PNB entries were made contemporaneously and denied the possibility of false entries or alterations.
The Court also recorded formal detail admissions relating to medical and post-mortem documentation arising from the 21 April 2019 Easter Sunday bombings at multiple locations, with exhibits marked from P188 to P801.
Document “L1” (statement of the 9th Accused) was marked temporarily, and it was communicated on the previous day by the prosecution that the document will be marked as P 188 later. But now it cannot be marked as such since the P188 marking was given to the medical report of the aforesaid detailed admission document. Therefore the Prosecution reserving the right to assign a separate marking to the L1 Document later.
The matter was thereafter adjourned for further trial on 4 May 2026, and PW 1,2,3 and 8 were released temporally and ordered to appear on 4th of May.
Next date and time: 2026/05/04 at 10 a.m. for further Trial.
