High Court trial begins

A key prosecution witness in the case filed against former Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra for her alleged involvement in the abduction of a youth using a Defender today testified before Colombo High Court.

The evidence of the main prosecution witness Amila Priyankara was led by Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara. The witness said in 2015, he worked in a textile shop in the Dematagoda area. He further said a lady, one Chamila Githani visited the shop from time to time and this relationship was questioned by Hirunika Premachandra following his abduction. He said he was abducted following this incident and he was taken to Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra’s office.

Colombo High Court Judge Amal Ranaraja fixed the case for further trial on June 1. The CCTV footage relevant to the alleged abduction incident is to be displayed during the next trial date.

On a previous occasion, except Hirunika Premachandra and a schoolboy, seven other accused who pleaded guilty for their involvement in the abduction case were given suspended imprisonment. The High Court sentenced seven accused to two years in prison suspended for 12 years.

Apart from the abduction charges, the nine accused have been charged on 29 counts by the Attorney General including threatening, assaulting and intimidating the victim Amila Priyankara after being abducted in Dematagoda.

The complainant Amila Priyankara alleged that he was abducted and assaulted by a group of people who came in a black Defender to Dematagoda on December 21, 2015. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)