Chief Justice appoints three trial-at-bars to hear major cases

The Chief Justice has appointed three trial-at-bar at the High Court to hear three major cases upon a request made the Attorney General (AG), co-ordinating secretary to the AG State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said.

Among these cases are the Rathupaswala shooting incident, abduction, and disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, and the Avant Garde illegal floating armoury case.

Accordingly, the Rathupaswala shooting incident case would be heard at the Gampaha High Court before a three-member trial-at-bar of Justices Menaka Wijesundera, Nimal Ranwaweera, and Nishantha Hapuarachchi.

Four suspects have been charged over this case under the Criminal Procedure Code.

Meanwhile, another trial-at-bar headed by High Court judge Sampath Abeykoon and comprising justices Sampath Wijeratne and Gihan Kulatunga has been appointed to hear the disappearance case of Prageeth Eknaligoda.

This case would be heard at the Homagama High Court in which the accused would be charged under the Penal Code.

In addition, a trial-at-bar has also been appointed at the Colombo High Court to hear the Avant Garde illgeal floating armoury case in which 13 suspects would be charged under 7573 counts under the Firearms Ordinance, Explosives Ordinance, and the Penal Code.

The bench would be headed by justice Dhammika Ganepola, and would comprise justices Aditya Patabendige and Manjula Thilakarathna.

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