The Chief Justice has nominated High Court judges Sampath Abeykoon (President), Sampath Wijerathna and Gihan Kulatunga to hear the case of the disappearance-murder of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda.The Chief Justice nominated High Court judges Dhammika Ganepola (President), Adithya Patabandige and Manjula Thilakarathna to hear the Avant Garde floating armoury case.The Attorney General’s Co-ordinating Officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne told news media that the Chief Justice had nominated three separate Trial-at-Bar benches on a request of Attorney General Dappula de Livira having regard to the circumstances of and relating to the Commission of the offenses.
The Attorney General has already prepared indictments to be filed against four army officers including a Brigadier, a staff sergeant and two corporals in connection with the Rathupaswala shooting incident, which resulted in the killing of three individuals and wounding 45 others Jayaratne said the Attorney General has already prepared indictments to be filed against nine army intelligence officers attached to the Giritale Army camp over the abduction and suspected murder of missing journalist Ekneligoda.A record 7,573 charges comprise the indictment to be filed by Attorney General against thirteen accused parties in the controversial Avant Garde floating armoury case. This is the highest number of charges in a single case in Sri Lanka’s legal history and is in connection with what the AG’s Department has named as the ‘High Seas Arms Trafficking Case’.