Suspects in wildlife poaching released on bail

The six suspects remanded earlier after being taken into custody on charges of poaching of wild animals in the Panwila Forest Reserve in the Knuckles region were released on Rs. 25,000 cash bail and surety bail of Rs.100,000 for each by the Teldeniya District Judge N.M. Farique Deen today at the Panwila Mobile Court.

The suspects released are S. Mohamed Siraj, Kodithuwakku Arachchige Nalinda Weerathunga, Kodithuwakku Arachchige Raveendra Weerathunga, Chadrasekera Vijayakanth, Galabada Liyanage Ruwan Sanjeewa Samaranayaka and Maradan Nandakumar,

They have been prosecuted under the provisions of the Fauna and Flora Act.

The Judge also ordered the suspects to report at the Panwila Police on second and last Sunday of each month.

Forest Range Security Officer objected to the release of suspects on bail.

Senior Attorney Sarath Premakumara and Attorneys Rukshan Lenora and Chathura Dissanayake appeared on behalf of the suspects.

Suspects were also ordered to appear in Court on October 27.( J.A.L. Jayasinghe)