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Madushanka case in Maldives: Lawyer wants Sinhala translator
View(s):By Minushi Perera
A translation problem has been raised during the trial of Sri Lankan Lahiru Madushanka who is accused of taking part in a plot to kill Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen.
The trial of 24-year-old Lahiru Madushanka and two Maldivians has begun with three hearings already concluded in the local language Divehi and translated to English. But Mr. Madushanka’s inability to fully understand the English translation has hindered him from following the proceedings, the court was told. At the last court hearing, the translator told court Mr. Madhushanka did not understand English.
Mr. Madushanka’s lawyer Fareesha Abdulla requested the court to arrange a Sinhala translator, so that he could understand what was being said. In response, Judge Ali Adam said that in the first two hearings, the accused himself did not mention the need for a Sinhala translator and that it was the lawyer who had raised the issue midway in the case.
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner A.B. Thoradeniya told the Sunday times he had not yet been requested to provide a translator. “If the High Commission is requested to find a translator, we will do so.”
Mr. Madushanka had allegedly been recruited by Maldivian Ishaq Hussain who runs a tailor shop. Mr. Madushanka’s lawyer presented two Sri Lankans as defence witnesses to prove he had not agreed to take part in a plot to assassinate the President, and to explain why he came to the country.