Court orders summons for key witness in Easter Sunday case

By AJA ABEYANAYKE

The Colombo High Court yesterday ordered that summons be issued for the fourth witness in a case filed against businessman Mohamed Ibrahim and two other defendants, in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

The directive was given by High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe requiring the witness to appear in court on 02 July .

During the hearing, Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama informed the court that the second witness, a woman who previously worked as a domestic aide at the defendants’ residence, had secretly left the country without notifying the CID or the Attorney General’s Department. Highlighting concerns that the fourth witness might also leave the country, she urged the Court to take necessary measures. Considering this, Judge Marasinghe ordered the immediate issuance of a summons for the witness.

The judge instructed CID officers to submit all relevant immigration records concerning the second witness’s departure before the Court by the end of the day.

He also cautioned CID officers to ensure that all legal procedures were properly followed, warning against unexpected disruptions in Court proceedings.

The case against Mohamed Ibrahim and two others was filed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, citing their failure to inform authorities despite prior knowledge of the impending suicide bombings orchestrated by Zahran Hashim and his group on 21 April, 2019.

The trial was initially set for yesterday (24), but was postponed to 02 July after Anuja Premaratne PC, representing Mohamed Ibrahim, stated that his client was not fit enough to testify. DSG Girihagama did not object to the request.

According to the indictment, Mohamed Ibrahim’s sons—Mohamed Ibrahim Ilham Ahmed, who carried out the suicide attack at the Shangri-La Hotel, and Mohamed Ibrahim Inshaf Ahmed, responsible for the bombing at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel—were among the perpetrators of the coordinated Easter Sunday attacks.