The case against former Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra for her alleged involvement in the abduction of a youth using a defender was today fixed for trial by the Colombo High Court.
The case was fixed for trial on November 16 by High Court Judge Amal Ranaraja. The prosecution witnesses in the case were noticed to appear before the court at the next trial date.
A junior counsel appearing for the defence moved the court to postpone the trial since his senior counsel is suffering from an illness. Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, appearing for the Attorney General, criticised the conduct of the defence, requesting further dates with the intention of delaying the case proceedings.
On a previous occasion, all the other accused who pleaded guilty to their involvement in the abduction case were given suspended prison sentences by the Colombo High Court.
The Colombo High Court sentenced seven accused to 2 years in prison, suspended for 12 years.
The accused who were indicted are: Hirunika Premachandra, Kelum Niranjana, Kasun Malinda, Ruwan Pushpakumara, Mohammed Rizwan, Pasindu Sanjeewa, P.S. Abeysiriwardena, Sanjeewa Kumara, and Jeganadacal.
Apart from the abduction charges, the nine accused have been charged with 29 counts by the Attorney General, including threatening, assaulting, and intimidating the victim, Amila Priyankara, after being abducted in Dematagoda.
The complainant, Amila Priyankara, alleged that he was abducted and assaulted by a group of people who came in a black Defender to Dematagoda on December 21, 2015.
