News
Ratnapura High Court sentences SLPP candidate to death
Ratnapura High Court yesterday handed down the death penalty to SLPP candidate and former MP Premalal Jayasekara, alias Choka Malli, and two others over a fatal shooting incident in Kahawatte during the Presidential Election in 2015.
Former Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council member Nilantha Jayakody and former Kahawatta Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Vajira Darshana are the others who have been sentenced to death.
The shooting took place on Jan 05, 2015 and caused the death of a supporter of the Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena in Kahawatta.
The UNP supporter, who was engaged in decorating a stage, was wounded in the shooting and succumbed to his injuries in hospital on January 8.
The Pelmadulla Magistrate issued arrest warrants on the suspects involved.
Former Deputy Minister Jayasekara was arrested on January 10 over the election-related shooting incident while he had been released on bail on December 07, 2015.
Former Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councilor Nilantha Jayakody and former Kahawatta Pradeshiya Sabha chairman Vajira Darshana were also arrested over the shooting.
Halkandiya Lekamlage Premalal Jayasekera, also known as ‘Choka Malli’, is contesting the coming parliamentary election from the Ratnapura District from the SLPP team led by Vasudeva Nanayakkara.
A heated argument broke out between Jaffna District MP Archchuna Ramanathan and Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar during the Kilinochchi District Coordination Committee meeting held yesterday (16).
A video footage of the incident shows the MP and the Minister engaging in a heated verbal exchange, following which a physical confrontation appeared to develop when the Minister attempted to grab files reportedly in the possession of MP Ramanathan.
“If you lay a hand on me, I’ll lay a hand on you too… got it?” Ramanathan is heard telling the Minister during the exchange.
Police and officials present at the meeting intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further.
The circumstances that led to the confrontation were not immediately clear.
Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has filed an intervening petition before the Court of Appeal in connection with a petition filed by former head of the State Intelligence Service, Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay, challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act over investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks.
The Cardinal has sought permission from the court to make submissions in relation to Sallay’s petition and requested that it be dismissed.
The Colombo High Court yesterday fixed for Aug. 31 the pre-trial conference in the money laundering case filed by the Attorney General against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son, Yoshitha Rajapaksa, and his great-aunt Daisy Forrest.
The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Rashmi Singappuli.
State Counsel Oswald Perera requested court to fix a date for the pre-trial conference and informed the judge that the prosecution would announce its position regarding the second accused, Daisy Forrest, at the conference. He also said the prosecution intended to notify court of amendments to the indictment.
After considering the submissions, Judge Singappuli ordered that the pre-trial conference be held on Aug. 31.
The Attorney General has indicted Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Daisy Forrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, alleging that they deposited nearly Rs. 59 million in bank accounts knowing, or having reason to believe, that the funds had been unlawfully acquired.
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