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Trial-at-Bar into Easter Sunday terror attack: Emotional testimony by St. Anthony’s Church parish priest
View(s):By Ranjith Padmasiri
The Trial-at-Bar into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attack heard an emotional testimony from the Parish Priest of the St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade on Wednesday (13).
Rev. Father Kurukulasuriya Anton Jude Raj Fernando broke down as he recounted the sight of bodies in the aftermath of the attack.
In evidence led by State Counsel Shakthi Jagodaarachchi, Rev. Fr. Fernando stated that while the mass conducted by Fr. Joseph Mariarathnem was in progress, he heard a loud explosion around 8.45 a.m. At that time Rev. Fr. Fernando had been in his office watching the mass on CCTV. Having heard the explosion, he said he walked out of his office only to witness a horrible scene of bodies of men, women and children strewn about and severely injured people and blood-splattered walls of the church.
He added that soon after the explosion, the electricity supply was cut off in the church and the church clocks had stopped at 8.45 a.m. which he assumed was the time of the blast. Rev. Fr. Fernando will resume giving evidence on January 8.
The State was represented by Additional Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundara P.C, Deputy Solicitor General Sudharshana De Silva, State Counsels Chrisanga Fernando, Akila Dalpatadu, Shakthi Jagodaarachchi and Sajith Bandara.
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