Duminda comes to court from hospital

By T.Farook Thajudeen

Parliamentarian Duminda Silva who is the eleventh suspect in the killing of former Presidential advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and three others at Mulleriyawa on the Local Government Election day on 8 October 2011, for the first time appeared before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Court to face trial on 5 April.

 Silva who also sustained injuries during the incident was originally treated at Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital, Kotte and was later taken to Mount Elizabeth Hospital Singapore. During that period the magisterial inquiry was held in his absence.

 When the case was taken up to extend the remand term of the third suspect Chaminda Ravi Jayanath  for further a  period, President’s Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya producing Silva before Additional Magistrate Pradeep Liyanage made a lengthy submission reiterating the case history.

 He contended that certain interested parties had critically commented the High Court order which granted bail to Silva and against all those who appeared on behalf of Silva in court.

 Counsel Warnakulasuriya said that this is in contempt of court. He said thus Silva would take necessary action against those persons in the appropriate manner.

 The counsel who appeared on behalf of Baratha Lakshman Premachandra’s wife moved court to cancel the bond signed by the owner of the vehicle when releasing the vehicle used by Bharatha Lakshman, to its owner.

 However, CID Inspector Meryll Ranjan said that he will obtain the Attorney General’s instructions first and then inform court in this regard.

 The Magistrate remanded Chaminda Ravi Jayanath till 8 May and postponed the inquiry for that date.

 High Court Judge Lalith Jayasuriya earlier released Silva on Rs. 50,000 cash with two sureties of Rs. 500,000. Judge Jayasuriya also impounded Silva’s passport and he was also warned to refrain from interfering with prosecution or the prosecution witnesses.

 All other suspects remanded over their alleged involvement into the Mulleriyawa murder case were released on bail by the High Court except for the third suspect Chaminda Ravi Jayanath who was refused bail due to his previous involvement in court cases.

 Duminda Silva’s faction and Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra’s faction clashed at Walpola Junction at Mulleriyawa on 8 October, 2011 soon after the local government election for the Kolonnawa Municipal Council and the Kotikawatte Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha.