23 June 2020 12:00 am
By Yoshitha Perera
The Colombo High Court yesterday acquitted four defendants in the case against Samarappulige Niraj Roshan alias ‘Ali Roshan’ and seven others citing inadequate evidence against them.
When the case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judges Vikum Kaluarachchi, Dhammika Ganepola and Aditya Patabandige, the court decided to continue the case against the remaining defendants, including the main accused Samarappulige Niraj Roshan alias ‘Ali Roshan’.
The Judges said there were sufficient evidence to prosecute the remaining four defendants.
The Attorney General had then filed 27 charges against ‘Ali Roshan’ and other defendants under offences against Public Property Act, with regard to the possession of four elephants without licences.
The other defendants in the case include Assistant Director of the Department of Wildlife Upali Padmasiri and P. Sanjeewani - a former clerk attached to the department.