The case against Colombo district Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra for her alleged involvement in the abduction of a youth using a Defender was yesterday fixed for trial by the Colombo High Court. Accordingly, the case was fixed for trial on April 24 by High Court Judge Shashi Mahendran.
The witnesses in the case were advised to appear in courts on next trial date. MP Hirunika Premachandra was not present in court yesterday since she attended Parliament sessions.
The High Court Judge reiterated the importance of concluding the trial without unnecessary delay. At a previous occasion, except Hirunika Premachandra and a schoolboy, seven other accused who pleaded guilty for their involvement in the abduction had been given a suspended prison sentence by the Colombo High Court.
The Colombo High Court sentenced seven accused to two years in prison suspended for 12 years. Apart from the suspended sentence, the High Court ordered the seven accused to pay compensation of Rs.285,000 to the victim. The Court further ordered five accused to pay a fine of Rs.33,000 each for other charges. The eighth accused, a schoolboy (18) was ordered to be released on a bond of Rs.100,000 in accordance with Section 303 of the Criminal Procedure Code taking into consideration his age. Five out of the seven accused yesterday paid compensation to the victim.
The accused; Kelum Niranjana, Kasun Malinda, Ruwan Pushpakumara, Mohammed Rizwan, Pasindu Sanjeewa, P.S.Abeysiriwardena, Sanjeewa Kumara and Jeganadacal pleaded guilty to seven charges including abduction, aiding and abetting to abduction and unlawful assembly.
Apart from the abduction charges, the nine accused have been charged on 29 counts by the Attorney General including threatening, assaulting and intimidating the victim Amila Priyankara after abducting him in Dematagoda. The accused who were indicted are; Hirunika Premachandra, Kelum Niranjana, Kasun Malinda, Ruwan Pushpakumara, Mohammed Rizwan, Pasindu Sanjeewa, P.S. Abeysiriwardena, Sanjeewa Kumara and Jeganadacal.
The complainant Amila Priyankara alleged that he was abducted and assaulted by a group of people who came in a black Defender to Dematagoda on December 21, 2015. Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara appeared for the Attorney General. Counsel Anura Seneviratne and Ajith Pathirana appeared for Hirunika Premachandra.
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