Judges in MP murder trial to visit the crime scene

The three-judge High Court Trial-at-Bar appointed on the murders of Polonnaruwa district MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his bodyguard will visit Nittambuwa town tomorrow (07) to obtain a clear understanding on witness accounts.

High Court Judges Sahan Mapa Bandara, Rashmi Singappuli and Ruwan Pathirana will visit the area with lawyers representing both parties.

During the trial at Gampaha High Courts last Friday, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Prasanna Bandara, who represented the Attorney General, informed courts that it would be ideal to visit the scene to get a better understanding of the murder.

The State Intelligence Service has been instructed to provide security and facilitate the inspection by the judges.

The Attorney General last week informed courts that arrangements have been made to introduce facial recognition identification technology to the country’s justice system for the first time during the Trial-at-Bar on the murders of MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his bodyguard.

The technology will be used to identify accused who have been indicted before the Trial-at-Bar over the murders, which took place on May 9 last year in Nittambuwa during the height of the ‘Aragalaya.’

Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Prasanna Bandara informed the court last week that the AG’s Department will be introducing the new technology during the trial.

He told court that using the technology would enable them to analyse CCTV footage from the incident and check if the faces of those seen in the footage match the accused, making it possible to identify whether the accused were actually involved in the crime.

Forty-one accused have been indicted over the murders on 14 counts. Two of the accused have passed away while two others are being tried in absentia. One of those accused is known to be overseas while the other is yet to be arrested. However, both accused are being represented by lawyers. 

By: Ranjith Padmasiri