Court issues arrest warrant on third accused in Welikada prison riots case

The Colombo Special High Court today (Aug 1) issued an open arrest warrant on prisons intelligence officer Indika Sampath who has been absconding arrest overseas over the Welikada prisons riots case in 2012.

The warrant had been issued after a request had been made to this effect by Deputy Solicitor General Dilan Ratnayake who appeared for the Attorney General as the prosecution in the case.

During today's hearing, three persons including the mother of the suspect - who is the third accused, and the Grama Niladhari officer of his area had provided witness confirming that the accused is overseas.

Further hearing of the case had been fixed for August 30.

The Attorney General had filed indictments against three persons over the riots which resulted in the death of 27 inmates on November 9, 2012.

Indictments had been previously served on Police Inspector Neomal Rangajeewa and former Prisons Superintendent Emil Ranjan Lamahewa who are the other accused in the case.

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