News
Three Russian wildlife smuggling suspects remanded again
Three Russians charged with smuggling genes and specimens of insects and animals were this week remanded by the Nuwara Eliya Magistrates’ Court until July 2, after they failed to fulfill bail conditions.
The suspects, Alexander Ignatenko, Artem Ryabov, and Nikolai Kilafyan, were arrested on February 26 by officers of the Horton Plains National Park.
The case came up before Magistrate Pramodha Jayasekara.
Only two of the Russian suspects were present in court, while the third was reported to be at the Diyathalawa Hospital.
After an initial investigation in March, the Russians were produced before the Nuwara Eliya Magistrate and released on bail of Rs 100,000 and two sureties each of Rs 500,000. They had been given time to fulfill the bail conditions due to the coronavirus situation.
Earlier, when the case was taken up, the defendants’ lawyer Chandana Perera, pleaded that an interpreter well versed in Russian and English be made available.
Mr P.K.P.M. Pradeep, warden of the Horton Plains National Park, appearing for the complainants, sought a court order to hand over the chemicals used to preserve the genes the Russians were attempting to smuggle out, to the Government Analyst and the Colombo University Chemistry Department to obtain a report.
The Russians are accused of having in their possession more than 500 animal parts preserved in specially made chemicals. They had collected specimens from Jaffna, Habarana, Yala, Bundala, Ginigathhena, and a large amount of animal parts from Horton Plains National Park.
It was revealed, that they had come to Sri Lanka on 8 and 9 February 2020, stayed two days in Colombo, got an International Driving License from the RMV at Colombo, rented a vehicle, visited various parts of the island, capturing animals indigenous to Sri Lanka.
It was also revealed that after they collected animal parts from Jaffna, Habarana, Yala and other places, they had come to Nuwara Eliya on February 25, stayed at a private hotel at Pattipola, packed the animal specimens and were about to take them out of the island.
Magistrate Jayasekara this week put off the trial until June 25.
The suspects are facing 277 charges. 