Selling Easter Sunday attacker’s property using forged deed Five suspects get bail after CID drops PTA charges

Five persons, who were arrested for allegedly obtaining suicide bomber Mohammad Ibrahim Insaf Ahmed’s Flower Road residence by using a forged deed, were ordered to be released on bail yesterday by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. 

Filing a motion in court, the defence counsel told court that the matter is an isolated incident from the Easter Sunday attack, hence the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) should not be considered over the allegations.  

Earlier, the suspects were detained and interrogated under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) by the CID.   

However, the CID also informed the court that they were not investigating the incident further under the PTA, but under the normal laws of Penal Code.  

Applying the Bail Act, Colombo Chief Magistrate Mohammad Mihar also considered that there was no reason to refuse bail on the suspects and released them on a cash bail of Rs. 25,000 and two sureties of 500,000 for each suspects. The Magistrate also directed the suspects to report to the CID on the last Sunday of every month.   

Further, inquiry was postponed for December 17, 2020. Senior Counsel Asela Rekawa, Prasanna Weerasekara, Ajith Perera, Counsel Nirmal Kodithuwakku and Jeewantha De Silva appeared for the first suspect.  

Mohammed Ibrahim Insaf Ahamed was the suicide bomber who blew himself up at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel during last year’s Easter Sunday attacks.