Date: 14th July 2026
Case No: HC (TAB) 2972/21
Court: Special Permanent Three-Judge High Court (Trial-at-Bar)
Venue: Special Permanent Three-Judge High Court (Trial-at-Bar), 2nd Floor, MCC Building, Adhikarana Mawatha, Colombo 12.
The witness PW-1394, Ms. Nilmini Jayakody testified that she had owned a Honda Dio motorcycle bearing registration number WP BCQ-0304, which she sold to a person named Priyanka in 2019 after signing the relevant transfer documents. It was revealed that the same motorcycle was subsequently used in the Kattankudy blast. However, the witness was unable to state whether the ownership transfer had been duly completed with the Department of Motor Traffic. There was no cross-examination.
The witness PW-1395, Mr. Tushara Priyanka Perera, testified that he had purchased the same motorcycle from PW-1394 in 2019 and later handed it over to Anusala Motors for resale. There was no cross-examination.
The witness PW-1396, Mr. Anura Wikramasekara, the owner of Anusala Motors, Wattala, Hunupitiya, testified that his sole proprietorship business engages in the buying and selling of second-hand motorcycles. He stated that on one occasion two brothers visited his business to sell one motorcycle and purchase two others. The carbon copies of the bills relating to the sale of motorcycles bearing registration numbers WP BCQ-0304 and WP CBY-2183 were marked as P-978 and P-979, while the bill relating to the purchase of motorcycle belonging to the buyers BCG-2768 was marked as P-980. The witness stated that the bills contained the National Identity Card number 941460898V and telephone number 0764653717 of the buyers, while the seller’s name appearing on the bills was that of his sister. Although transfer papers were handed over to the purchasers, he did not verify whether the ownership transfers were subsequently completed. He further testified that during the CID investigation he identified photographs of the purchasers, but at the trial he was unable to identify them in open court. The photograph of the 9th accused identified during the CID investigation was marked as P-981, while the photograph of the 4th accused was marked as P-982.
During cross-examination by the 4th accused, the witness admitted that his first statement to the CID had been recorded on 19th April 2019, although during examination-in-chief he had referred to 20th April 2019. It was suggested that the persons who visited his business were dark complexioned whereas the individual shown by the CID was fair complexioned and therefore they were different persons. The witness rejected this suggestion despite acknowledging a difference in appearance. He also admitted that the bills marked P-978 and P-979 had been signed by his sister as the seller. Suggestions that he had identified the photographs marked P-981 and P-982 under the influence of the CID were denied. During cross-examination by the 9th accused, the witness denied that his evidence had been influenced by the CID and confirmed that he had never been called to participate in an identification parade.
The witness PW-1397, Ms. Yasasthi Silva testified that her purse had been stolen on 25th May 2018 at Kotugoda, following which her lodged a complaint at the Kandana Police Station. She stated that her National Identity Card number was 941460898V, but that the telephone number 0764653717 did not belong to her and had been fraudulently obtained using her identity details. She further stated that the CID later informed her that her purse had been recovered from two suspects arrested in Nawalapitiya, after which she attended the CID and identified her belongings. The cover of the production was marked as P-983, the purse (PR-1052/19) as P-984, the NDB debit Bank card as P-985, the Sampath Bank debit card as P-986, the Commercial Bank debit card as P-987, and a curfew warrant dated 21st April 2021, allegedly obtained using her stolen identity card, as P-988. There was no cross-examination.
The witness PW-1398, Mr. Mohammed Mustafa testified that the motorcycle bomb explosion at Kattankudy on 17th April 2019 occurred on property belonging to him. He stated that following the explosion, parts of the motorcycle were scattered throughout the property and that the roofing sheets covering the land had been blown away due to the force of the blast. There was no cross-examination.
The witness PW-2302, Mr. Abu Shali Mohammed Nilam, the proprietor of Nuha Motors, testified that he is engaged in the business of repairing and selling motor vehicles. He identified Exhibit 2, a bill dated 27th December 2018, which was marked as P-989A, while the carbon copy book containing the bill had already been marked as P-899. The bill related to motorcycle NW VAQ-2008, and the purchaser’s name recorded therein was Khalid Sameer, whom the witness identified in court as the 11th accused.
The witness PW-836, Mr. Sukumaran, the proprietor of Lokman Enterprises, Colombo 11, testified regarding the sale of chemicals including Costick soda, hydrochloric acid, citric acid and sulfuric acid. The bill dated 1st March 2019 issued by Lokman Enterprises marked as P-990, while its attachment dated 2nd March 2019 was marked as P-991. According to these documents, five cans of sulfuric acid, each containing 40 kilograms, were sold to Nakshatra Shop, which is engaged in the manufacture of gold jewellery. The witness also stated that every product sold by his company bears a barcode for identification purposes and identified the five sulfuric acid cans produced before the Sammanthurai Magistrate’s Court as the products sold by his company and the five cans shown to him in open court were marked as P-992, P-993, P-994, P-995, and P-996.
The witness PW-834, Mr. Vairavan Vaithilingam, proprietor of Alageshan Traders, Colombo 12, testified regarding the sale of nitric acid. A bill dated 1st March 2019 issued to Nakshatra Shop, was marked as P-997. According to the bill, 10 cans of nitric acid, each weighing 35 kilograms, had been sold to the said establishment. The witness identified the nitric acid cans produced before the Sammanthurai Magistrate’s Court, and the three cans shown to him in open court were marked as P-998, P-999, and P-1000.
Upon the conclusion of the evidence for the day, the Court issued summons requiring PW-1714, PW-1712, PW-1594, PW-1597, PW-1598, PW-1869, and PW-1726-2 to appear on 16th July 2026. Summons were also issued to PW-1596, PW-1603, PW-1622, PW-1634, PW-1606, PW-1605, and PW-1815 to appear on 17th July 2026. The matter was thereafter adjourned to 15th July 2026 at 10.00 a.m. for the continuation of the trial.
