Special Security at Hulftsdorp Court! Naufar Moulavi and Other Accused Brought to Court as Easter Sunday Verdict Due Today! VIDEO | Sri Lanka Latest News

The verdict in the historic case filed against 24 accused persons, including Mohamed Naufar, also known as ‘Naufar Moulavi’, over charges including aiding and abetting the series of suicide bomb attacks carried out on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019, is scheduled to be delivered this morning (22). Sri Lanka Latest News

The verdict is scheduled to be delivered in open court before the three-member bench of the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar, comprising Presiding Judge Navaratne Marasinghe and Justices Ramanathan Kannan and Sujeewa Nishshanka.

Tight security at the Hulftsdorp Court Complex

In view of the delivery of the final verdict in the case, special security arrangements have been put in place at the Colombo Hulftsdorp Court Complex and surrounding areas since this morning.

Police Headquarters stated that special police teams, riot control units and intelligence officers have been deployed for security duties.

All persons entering the court premises will be subjected to special security checks, while vehicular traffic will also be regulated under special security arrangements.

23,270 indictments that set a world record

The attacks carried out on April 21, 2019, targeting churches in Kochchikade, Katuwapitiya and Batticaloa, as well as leading hotels in Colombo, claimed the lives of more than 270 people and injured more than 500 others. Among those killed were 45 foreign tourists.

Initially, the Attorney General filed 23,270 indictments against 25 accused persons under the Prevention of Terrorism Act over allegations of conspiring to carry out the attacks and providing aid and support.

This was recorded as the highest number of charges filed against accused persons in a single case in world history.

However, during the trial, the 17th accused died while in custody. As a result, proceedings continued against 24 accused persons based on the amended indictment.

How the evidence hearing was concluded

The trial was significantly expedited after the defence admitted, under Section 420 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the basic facts concerning the damage caused by the attacks, out of more than 2,300 witnesses listed by the prosecution.

Accordingly, the evidence hearing was concluded after recording evidence from 547 key witnesses, including Government Analysts, DNA and forensic medical experts, as well as a confidential state witness.

After the accused presented their defence, both parties completed the submission of their written submissions to court recently. Accordingly, the final verdict in the case was scheduled to be delivered today.

A decisive milestone amid domestic and international attention

Victims who have been awaiting justice for nearly seven years, as well as diplomatic missions representing countries whose citizens were among the foreign tourists killed in the attacks, have been closely monitoring the verdict in this case.

In particular, residents of Katuwapitiya staged their 89th peaceful protest yesterday (21), calling for justice.

Against this backdrop, the verdict to be delivered today is expected to mark a significant milestone for the rule of law and the judicial system in Sri Lanka.

Accused in the Easter Sunday bomb attacks Special Trial-at-Bar Case (HC/TAB/2972-21)

1. Accused Mohamed Naufar Moulavi
2. Accused Mohamed Shareef Adam Lebbe (Gapur Mama)
3. Accused Hayathu Mohamed Ahmed Milhan
4. Accused Mohamed Ibrahim Sadiq Abdullah
5. Accused Mohamed Ibrahim Sahid Abdul Haq
6. Accused Mohamed Anwar Mohamed Rizkan
7. Accused Mohamed Mansoor Mohamed Sanasdeen
8. Accused Abdul Manaf Mohamed Firdous
9. Accused Mohamed Ramees Mohamed Sajith
10. Accused Abdul Latheef Mohamed Safi
11. Accused Huseinul Rizvi Khalid Sameer
12. Accused Mohamed Sawahir Mohamed Hasan
13. Accused Mohamed Iftikhar Mohamed Insaf
14. Rashid Mohamed Ibrahim
15. Accused Mohamed Hanifa Zainul Abdeen
16. Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Haris
17. Accused deceased (Yasim Bawa Abdul Rauf)
18. Accused Razik Raza Husein
19. Accused Kachchi Mohamed Mohamed Jemsite
20. Accused Zainul Abdeen Mohamed Jaseem
21. Accused Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Rizwan
22. Accused Meera Sahib Mohamed Nafli
23. Accused Mohamed Ameer Mohamed Ayatullah
24. Accused Mohamed Ansardeen Mohamed Ilmi, also known as Ilmi
25. Accused Mohamed Akram Ahakkam

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