All acquitted in 2013 Weliweriya shooting case

Concluding the trial in the Weliweriya shooting case, the High Court yesterday acquitted all suspects, including Major General Aruna Deshapriya Gunawardena, of charges related to the shooting that resulted in the deaths of three and caused injuries to another 50 people.

The three-member High Court bench ruled that the Attorney General had failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt and consequently ordered the acquittal of the accused.

The verdict in the case, which occurred 11 years ago on 1 August 2013, was announced yesterday at 9:30 a.m. by the three-member bench of High Court Judges Nimal Ranaweera, Nishantha Hapuarachchi, and Sahan Mapa Bandara.

On 1 August 2013, the army attacked and fired on a peaceful protest that had lasted for five days, beginning on 27 July, 2013. The protestors were demanding the removal of a factory for allegedly polluting the environment in Gampaha, Nadungamuwa and the provision of clean drinking water, citing pollution of the groundwater due to factory waste. The incident resulted in the deaths of three people, including two school students, and injured around 50 people, nearly 10 of whom were also school students.

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Four army officers, including Aruna Deshapriya Gunawardena, who was a brigadier at the time, were arrested in 2017 following investigations by the police Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Notably, Brigadier Gunawardena was found guilty in an investigation conducted by the Army itself and was submitted to the court. 

Ninety charges were filed against Gunawardena and others, with nearly 70 witnesses listed. However, the Attorney General had only called a few witnesses to the stand during the trial. Additionally, the officers from the Attorney General’s Department who handled the case changed frequently. No official from the Attorney General’s Department was present in court during the previous sitting when the judgement was to be delivered, and the Department was also late in submitting their written submissions.

The victims and their families are likely to request the Attorney General to appeal against this decision to the Supreme Court.