Date: 13th July 2026
Case No: HC (TAB) 2972/21
Court: Special Permanent Three-Judge High Court (Trial-at-Bar)
Venue: Supreme Court Temporary Building
The case was taken up before the Trial-at-Bar with all accused present, except the 17th accused, who had passed away.
The 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 10th, 15th, 17th, 18th, and 19th accused were represented by Mr. Kaneel Maddumage, AAL. The 12th and 13th accused were represented by Mr. Ravindu Yasas, AAL. The 20th to 25th accused were represented by Mr. Adam Hailey, AAL with Mr. Sanjeewa Ruwanpathirana, AAL The 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 11th, 14th, and 16th accused appeared in person.
The Prosecution informed the Court that they seeking to lead evidence-in-chief of PW 1298, PW 1331, PW 1410, PW 2244, PW 2297 and PW 2301. The Court was also informed that the 14th accused is scheduled to be produced at the Colombo National Hospital on 14th July 2026.
Thereafter, Prosecution Witness No. 1410, Mohommed Nansur Mohommed Firdawus, who runs a cycle and cycle spare parts business under the name ‘Finz Cycle’, gave evidence-in-chief and testified that on 30th March 2019, he sold six hundred packets of steel balls imported from China under the K&H company name to Rassy Trading Company at its Wellaweediya shop, and the relevant bill dated 30th March 2019 was shown to him and marked as ‘P 969′.
He further testified that on 11th April 2019, he sold a further nine hundred and sixty packets of steel balls bearing the same China company name to Rassy Trading Company from one of his stores at Paraththa, and the relevant bill was marked as ‘P 970’, He testified that he had never previously sold such a quantity to anybody.
Thereafter, the image already marked as ‘P 832(12)’ was shown to PW 1410, who identified the empty steel ball packets depicted therein as the same packets he had sold to Rassy Trading Company on the two occasions. He was also shown an image of an empty steel ball packet bearing the K & H China company name, which was marked as ‘P 832(18)’. Thereafter, a rigifoam box containing steel ball packets was marked as ‘P 971’, and one steel ball packet taken from ‘P 971’ was marked as ‘P 972’.
The Prosecution informed the Court that ‘P 971’ contained ten small-sized cardboard boxes, one of which was marked as ‘P 973’. The prosecution further marked a polisac bag containing steel ball packets as ‘P 974’ and a large-sized cardboard box containing steel ball packets as ‘P 975’. Prosecution Witness No. 1410 was thereafter cross-examined only by the 5th accused and was not re-examined.
Thereafter, Prosecution Witness No. 2301, Mushfick, who was working at the cycle and cycle spare parts business known as ‘Rassy Trading Company’, gave evidence-in-chief and testified that on 30th March 2019, he purchased six hundred packets of steel balls imported from China under the K & H company name from Finz Cycle at its Wellaweediya shop, pursuant to an order received on 29th March 2019 from a person for six hundred packets of steel balls. The relevant bill, which had already been marked as ‘P 969’, was shown to him.
He further testified that on 11th April 2019, he purchased a further nine hundred and sixty packets of steel balls bearing the same China company name from one of Finz Cycle’s stores located at Paraththa, and the relevant bill, which had already been marked as ‘P 970’, was shown to him.
He was further shown the productions already marked as ‘P 971’, ‘P 972’, ‘P 973’, ‘P 974’, ‘P 975’, ‘P 832(12)’, and ‘P 832(18)’. He further testified that he had destroyed the relevant bills which he had given to the person who came to purchase the steel ball packets after he learned of the Easter attacks and saw the news of the Sammanthurai incident.
Thereafter, the Prosecution marked a photograph of the person who came to Rassy Trading Company to purchase the steel ball packets as ‘P 976’ and the signature of PW 2301 as ‘P 977’. PW 2301 was neither cross-examined by any accused nor re-examined by the Prosecution.
The Prosecution informed Court that PW 2297, and PW 2300 could be temporarily released, and Court accordingly released those witnesses.
Thereafter, Prosecution Witness No. 1298, Gnanasidan, who was working at a jewellery tools shop named ‘New Nakshasthra’, gave evidence-in-chief and testified that he had given a statement to the Police on 11th April 2019, that his shop sold nitric acid to the Jewelry businessmans for the purpose of melting old gold, and that he identified the 19th accused as the person who came to purchase the nitric acid. A black-coloured nitric acid can was shown to him and marked as ‘P 977’.
Prosecution Witness No. 1298 was further shown the image already marked as ‘P 820B’. He was thereafter cross-examined by Mr. Kaneel Maddumage, AAL appearing for the 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 10th, 15th, 17th, 18th, and 19th accused. During the cross examination it was suggested to him that his statement dated 11th April 2019 mentioned that the 19th accused had been coming to New Nakshasthra to purchase items for the previous two to three years. The PW 1298 was not re-examined by the Prosecution.
Thereafter, Prosecution Witness No. 1331, who runs a jewellery tools shop at Hettiweediya, gave evidence-in-chief and testified that he had given a statement to the TID on 31st October 2019, that his shop sold nitric acid to the jewelry businessmans for the purpose of melting old gold, and that he identified the 19th accused as the person to whom he had sold the nitric acid. He also identified the nitric acid can already marked as ‘P 977’. The witness was thereafter cross-examined by Counsel Mr. Kanil Maddumage AAL appearing for the 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 10th, 15th, 17th, 18th, and 19th accused. During the cross examination it was suggested to him that he had never issued a bill to the 19th accused on the previous occasions when he came to purchase nitric acid. The PW 1331 was not re-examined by the Prosecution.
Thereafter, Prosecution tendered copies of the statements of several witnesses to Court and to the Defence.
The matter was fixed to be called again on 14th July 2026 at 10.00 a.m. for further trial.
