CJ appoints two new judge benches to hear Welikada riots, elephant trafficking cases

The Chief Justice has appointed two new judge benches to hear the case filed against the Welikada Prison Riots and the elephant trafficking case.

These judge benches had been appointed at the High Court upon a request made by the Attorney General (AG), the AG's Department said today (Jul 3).

Accordingly, the judge bench to hear the Welikada prison riots case will comprise of Justices Gihan Kulathunga, Pradeep Hettiarachchi, and Manjula Thilakarathna.

The accused in the case are Police Inspector Neomal Rangajeewa, former Prisons Superintendent Emil Ranjan Lamahewa, and prisons officer Indika Sampath.

The Attorney General will file indictments against these suspects over the killing of 27 inmates inside the Welikada Prison in 2012.

Meanwhile, another three-member judge bench of Justices Vikum Kaluarachchi, Dhammika Ganepola, and Madduma Patabendige have been appointed to hear the elephant trafficking case.

This case will be against elephant racketeer Niraj Roshan alias 'Ali Roshan' who was released along with six others by the Special High Court since it did not have the jurisdiction to hear the case.

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