211th Day of the Main Easter Attack Trial – HC (TAB) 2972/21
Date: 19th June 2026|
Venue: Special Permanent Three-Judge High Court (Trial-at-Bar), 2nd Floor, MCC Building, Adhikarana Mawatha, Colombo 12.
On behalf of the 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 10th, 15th, 18th, and 19th accused, Mr. Khanil Madhumage appeared as the Counsel. On behalf of the 12th and 13th accused, Mr. Ravindu Yasa Satyanayake appeared as the Counsel. On behalf of the 22nd to 25th accused, Mr. Sanjeewa Ruwanpathirana appeared as Counsel. The 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 11th, 14th, and 16th accused appeared on their own behalf.
PW-1415, Mr. Shanta Herath was called as a witness. He is an Attorney-at-Law and an Unofficial Magistrate attached to Colombo Magistrate’s Court No. 1. The witness stated that he has 32 years of experience as a lawyer and 20 years of experience as an Unofficial Magistrate.
The witness explained that normally an identification parade is conducted upon the request of the Magistrate. After conducting an identification parade, a report is prepared by the witness and handed over to the relevant Magistrate’s Court.
The original case record relating to Colombo Magistrate’s Court Case No. B10262/01/19 was produced before the Honourable Court and shown to the witness. According to the said case record, the suspect was a Mohamed Sahir( the 2nd accused).
The witness stated that on 18th March 2021 at 12.00 p.m., the relevant identification parade relating to the said suspect was conducted at Magistrate’s Court No. 9 premises. Thereafter, the identification parade report was prepared by the witness. The said identification parade report relating to Mohamed Sahir was marked as P864.
As per the P864 -Identification Parade Report, the suspect was identified as Mohamed Sahir Adam Lebbe alias Gafur Mama of Kaththankkudi. A girl named Lakshika Dulanjali participated in the identification parade as the person who came to identify the suspect. She had stated that the person who came to fix the sheets of the mini-van was the suspect identified at the identification parade.
Thereafter, Counsel for the 2nd accused cross-examined the witness. During the cross-examination, it was revealed that at that time Identification parade is conducted, the age of the suspect was 56 years. The witness stated that the other persons who assisted in the identification parade were between 20 to 50 years of age. It was suggested by the learned Counsel for the 2nd accused that the other participants were young compared to the suspect and that the suspect had a bald head, whereas the report prepared by the witness stated that the suspect had cut hair. It was further suggested that the suspect was the only person who had a bald head at the time of the identification parade.
Questions were also raised regarding the description mentioned in the report, including the fact that the suspect was wearing a blue sarong. The witness stated that there was no mention in the report regarding what clothing the other participants of the identification parade were wearing at that time.
Finally, it was suggested to the witness that the other participants did not have any similarity with the suspect. Thereafter, the cross-examination was concluded, and there was No re-examination.
Subsequently, PW1416, PW1417, and PW1422 were permanently released, as the Defence informed that they were not going to challenge the duties performed by the said witnesses during the identification parade of the 2nd accused. Accordingly, an admission was recorded under Section 420 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Further, PW1420, Ms. Lakshika Dulanjali, did not appear before Court today as she was pregnant and was not comfortable attending proceedings. However, she informed that she would participate in the proceedings on 23rd June 2026 through the online platform.
For the witness list on Monday, PW-10141 was added. Further, PW-2253, Mr. Tasli, who was initially scheduled to give evidence on Monday, was removed from the list, and Mr. Sampath Taranga Kumar was added instead. He is scheduled to appear on Monday, 22nd June 2026. The relevant statements relating to the said witnesses were also handed over to the accused.
For Thursday, 25th June 2026 PW2243 was summoned. Further, PW2268, Ms. Wivian Pactricia, was added as a witness, and in place of her, Adam Lebbe was substituted and included in the witness list for the following Thursday.
Thereafter, the 18th accused and the Prosecution filed their respective written submissions in relation to the Voir Diar inquiry of the 18th accused. The Court informed that the order regarding the Voir Diar inquiry of the 18th accused will be delivered on 30th June 2026.
Subsequently, corrections were made to the several proceedings
Thereafter, the case was adjourned and fixed to be resumed on 22nd June 2026 at 10.00 a.m. for further trial.
