Easter Sunday Attack Trial-at-Bar bench to hear cases on October 4

• The Trial-at-Bar bench has issued summons  on the accused through the Prison Authorities to appear before Court  on October 4
• The indictments are to be handed over to the accused on that date

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar has fixed for October 4, to hear the cases filed against 25 accused including Naufer Moulavi in connection with the Easter Sunday Terrorist attacks.  

Accordingly, the Trial-at-Bar bench comprising High Court Judges Damith Thotawatta (President), Amal Ranaraja and Navaratne Marasinghe has issued summons on the accused through the Prison Authorities to appear before Court on October 4. The indictments are to be handed over to the accused on that date.

  
The Attorney General had filed indictments against 25 accused including Naufer Moulavi, Sajid Moulavi, Mohammed Milhan, Sadik Abdullah, Aadam Lebbe alias Gafoor Mama, Mohammed Sanasdeen and Mohammed Rizwan in respect of eight terrorist attacks at St Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade, St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, the Kingsbury Hotel, Shangri-La Hotel, Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Zion Church in Batticaloa and Tropical lnn in Dehiwela.   

The Attorney General had filed 23,270 charges against 25 accused in connection with the Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks on April 21, 2019, that killed 269 people.  

The charges were filed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for conspiring to murder, aiding and abetting, collecting arms and ammunition, and attempted murder.  

 The Attorney General had earlier filed indictments against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former IGP Pujith Jayasundara in connection with their criminal negligence and failure to prevent the Easter Sunday Terrorist attacks.