News
Crime was a foreign plot
The Trial-at-Bar proceedings into the death of an 18-year-old school girl from Punguduthivu, Jaffna, who was killed after brutal rape, commenced this week at the Jaffna High Court (HC).
In the indictment filed by the Attorney General’s (AG) Dept, 41 separate charges were filed against nine suspects ranging from abduction, rape and killing, and 37 witnesses were named.
Presenting the charge-sheets, Acting AG, Senior Additional Solicitor General Dappula de Livera submitted that, considering the nature of the crimes committed by the suspects, the case has to be categorised as transnational, involving a plot from abroad to bring disgrace to the country.
“The crimes committed by the suspects cannot be considered as normal charges. A well coordinated plan was formulated from abroad to execute this incident. Therefore, it could be considered as a transnational crime too. All the charges levelled by the AG’s Dept would be proved in court,” said Acting AG Livera, while emphasising there would be a fresh charge-sheet filed against those who tried to help the suspects evade arrest.
Noting that this is the first time a Trial-at-Bar was ever held in Jaffna, the Acting AG said the gruesome killing of a schoolgirl shook the conscience of the whole island, resulting in a serious breach in the Law and Order mechanisms in the North.
Mahalaingam Sasikumar, alias Swiss Kumar, who holds dual citizenship with Switzerland, was named as the mastermind behind this incident. A State witness told court that Mr Sasikumar had agreed with a foreign Mafia group to produce porn videos involving South Asian girls.
It was revealed he had contacted the other suspects in Punguduthivu to find a girl for this purpose. One of the suspects identified the victim as a prospective ‘candidate’, but she rejected his proposal.
The other four suspects directly involved in the rape and murder, got together to execute their plan, while another suspect would video-graph the incident, to send abroad.
On Thursday, another suspect-turned-State-witness gave evidence of the incident, behind closed doors, due to security concerns for his next-of-kin. The Bar accepted his concerns following discussions with the AG’s Dept.
Court proceedings would continue next week for further hearing of witnesses, till all charges are heard and concluded.
The Acting AG Livera, together with Deputy Solicitor General Kumar Ratnam, State Attorneys Nagaratnam Nishanth, Shahib Ismail and Luxcie De Silva led the prosecution.
Attorneys Mahinda Jayawardena, Saranga Balasinga, Aarumugam Ragupathy and Sinnarasa Ketheeswaran appeared for the Defence.
The Trial-at-Bar comprises Jaffna HC Judge M. Illanchelian, Mannar HC Judge Annalingham Premashankar and Vavuniya HC Judge S. Mahendran.