AG Decides Not to Indict Mahinda Rajapaksa Over 2022 Gotagogama Attack

The Attorney General has decided not to indict former President Mahinda Rajapaksa over the May 2022 attack on protesters at ‘Gotagogama’ in Galle Face during the ‘Aragalaya’ period.

At the time of the attack, Mahinda Rajapaksa was serving as Prime Minister in the government of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his brother.

The decision not to file indictments against Mahinda Rajapaksa was taken after the Attorney General determined that the evidence presented by investigators was insufficient to charge him in connection with the attack, which left a number of protesters seriously injured.

Although no charges will be filed against the then Prime Minister, indictments have been recommended against 34 other suspects based on eyewitness accounts, circumstantial evidence and expert analysis of video footage from the scene of the attack.

Three of the 34 suspects have since passed away. They are former State Minister Sanath Nishantha, political activist Dan Priyasad and former trade union leader Wasantha Hadapangoda.

A single indictment is to be filed against the remaining 31 suspects before the Colombo High Court. They are to be indicted on 327 counts, including membership of an unlawful assembly, attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm.

The Sunday Times learns that Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe has requested Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena to appoint a High Court Trial-at-Bar to hear the case.

The suspects who are to be indicted include former Minister Johnston Fernando, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon, former Moratuwa Mayor Saman Lal Fernando, former MP Milan Jayathilake, former Opposition Leader of the Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Amal Pushpakumara De Silva, former Opposition Leader of the Colombo Municipal Council Ajantha Liyanage, former Municipal Councillor Mahinda Kahandagama, and Asanka Nalaka Wijesinghe, alias ‘Arabi Wasantha’.

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