Date: 20th 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 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 are seeking to lead evidence-in-chief of PW 1712, PW 1869, PW 1815, PW 1634, PW 1729, and PW 1596.
Thereafter, Prosecution Witness No. 1712, who had served as a Court production Room officer at the Magistrate Court, Negombo in 2019 testified that on the 23rd of April 2019 he received 35 productions from St. Sebastian’s Church under production acknowledgement receipts nos. 36/2019 to 70/2019. He further testified that he received 26 productions from the Scene of Crime office, Gampaha, under the production acknowledgement receipts nos. 71/2019 to 97/2019, together with a DVD containing images under the production acknowledgement receipt no. 98/2019.
PW 1712 further testified that he received several productions under production acknowledgement receipts nos. 99/2019 to 102/2019 from the Scene of Crime office, Negombo, one production under the production acknowledgement receipt no. 103/2019 from the Scene of Crime office, Polonnaruwa. And one production under the production acknowledgement receipt no. 104/2019 from the Scene of Crime office, Negombo on the 24th of April 2019. PW 1712 further testified that on 23rd of April 2019 he handed over the Productions received under production acknowledgement receipts nos. 43/2019, 53/2019, 54/2019, 95/2019, 99/2019, 100/2019 and 101/2019.
The Prosecution, with the leave of the Court, marked production acknowledgement receipts nos. 36/2019 to 70/2019 as P 1134 to P 1168, respectively, and production acknowledgement receipts nos. 98/2019 to 102/2019 as P 1169 to P 1173, respectively. PW 1712 was neither cross-examined by any of the accused nor re-examined by the Prosecution.
Thereafter, Prosecution Witness No. 1869, gave evidence-in-chief and testified that on the 21st of April 2019 he marked 38 locations at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel where the Easter bomb blast had occurred. The Prosecution marked production acknowledgement receipts nos. 52/2019, 53/2019 and 54/2019 as P 1176, P 1177, and P 1178, respectively. PW 1869 was shown an image contained in the CD already marked as P 85, and that image was marked as P 85(10). The image of the head of the suicide bomber was marked as P 85(11), while the images of the left leg and right leg were marked as P 85(12) and P 85(13), respectively. The Prosecution further marked production acknowledgement receipts nos. 62/2019, 75/2019 and 79/2019 as P 1179, P1181 and P 1180, respectively. PW 1869 was shown the pair of shoes of the suicide bomber already marked as P 96, and the Prosecution marked the left shoe as P 96 (1)(b) and the right shoe as P 96 (2)(b). The Prosecution marked the hair of the suicide bomber as P 96 (3)(b) and the Cotton bud containing the blood sample of the suicide bomber as P 96 (4)(b). The Prosecution also marked the steel balls as P 872(J) and a soil sample taken from the location where PW 1869 assumed the explosion had occurred as P 872(L), and the pieces of the suicide bomber’s clothing as P 872(Q).
Then the Prosecution further marked the ID and a copy of the passport passenger inquiry page of Alawdeen Ahmed Muad, as P 1182 and P 1183; the ID and a copy of the passport passenger inquiry page of Achchi Mohammadu Mohommadu Hasthun, as P 1185; the ID and a copy of the passport passenger inquiry page of Zaharan, as P 1187 and P 1188; the ID and a copy of the passport passenger inquiry page of Ilham, as P 1189 and P 1191; the ID and a copy of the passport passenger inquiry page of Mohammad Insharf Ibrahim Ahmed, as P 1193 and P 1196; the copy of the passport passenger inquiry page of Mohammad Asam Mohommad Mubarak, as P 1192; and the ID and a copy of the passport passenger inquiry page of Mohammad Nazar Mohommad Ashad, as P 1197 and P 1198, pursuant to the admissions made by the all Respondents under the Section 420 of the Code of Criminal Prosedure. PW 1869 was neither cross-examined by any of the accused nor re-examined by the Prosecution.
Prosecution Witness No. 1815, gave evidence-in-chief and testified that on the 21st of April 2019 searched room no. 616 at the Shangri-La Hotel, where Mohammad Asam Mohommad Mubarak had stayed before carrying out the bomb blast. The Prosecution marked production acknowledgement receipts nos. 119/2019 to 24/2019 as P 1200 to P 1205, respectively. PW 1815 was neither cross-examined by any of the accused nor re-examined by the Prosecution.
Prosecution Witness No. 1634 and PW 2304 and PW 1596 gave evidence-in-chief, and PW 1596 testified that on 22nd April the head found on the roof of the St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade was handed over to the JMO, Colombo pursuant to the Order made by the Magistrate. PW 1634, PW 2304 and PW 1596 were neither cross-examined by any of the accused nor re-examined by the Prosecution.
Thereafter, Prosecution Witness No. 1729, gave evidence-in-chief and testified that on the 22st of April 2019 he searched the Kingsbury Hotel, where the Easter bomb blast had occurred. The Prosecution marked the slightly burnt ID of Mohammad Asam Mohommad Mubarak as P 1221(b). PW 1729 was shown the image contained in the CD already marked as P 85, and that image was marked as P 85(10). The image of the head of the suicide bomber as P 85(11), while the images of the left and right legs were marked as P 85(12) and P 85(13), respectively.
The Prosecution informed Court that PW 1622 could be temporarily released, and Court accordingly released those witnesses.
The Court ordered Summons to be issued on PW 1603, directing him to appear before Court on 21st July 2026 and on PW 1809, directing him to appear on 22nd July 2026. The Court further ordered Summons to be issued on PW 1435, PW 1436, directing them to appear before Court on 23rd July 2026 and on PW 1501, directing him to appear on 24th July 2026.
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 21st July 2026 at 10.00 a.m. for further trial.
