Thirteen security personnel acquitted over Trinco youth killing case

Thirteen security personnel who were accused of killing five youths at the Trincomalee Gandhi Roundabout in 2006 were acquitted of all charges today (Jul 3).

Trincomalee Chief Magistrate M.M. Mohamed Hamza announced that sufficient evidence was not available to proceed with the case under Section 153 and 154 of the Penal Code.

Accordingly, the suspects which included a police officer and 12 Special Task Force (STF) personnel were released from all charges levelled against them under the Penal Code.

The suspects had been accused of killing five youths and injuring two others by opening gun fire at the victims on or around January 06, 2002.

The victims were identified as Manoharan Rajeeharan, Yogaraja Hemachandran, Lohitha Raja Rohan, Thangadurai Sivanadan, and Sammugaraja Gajendran.

A total of 36 persons have been named as witnesses in the case. However, eight persons had not turned up before court to give evidence over the incident. This included two others who had been injured in the shooting.

It was revealed before court that these witnesses were residing in Switzerland and UK.

Accordingly, the Chief Magistrate had announced the judgement after considering the submissions and the statements of the remaining witnesses in the case.