Abduction case against Hirunika: trial fixed for January

The Colombo High Court today set a January trial date for former Colombo district parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra for her alleged involvement in the abduction of a youth using a Defender. The case was fixed for trial on January 30 by High Court Judge Amal Ranaraja. The defence sought more time to inspect the video evidence listed in the indictments. Except for Hirunika Premachandra and a schoolboy, the Colombo High Court previously sentenced seven other accused who pleaded guilty in the abduction case to a suspended prison sentence. The High Court sentenced seven accused to two years in prison, suspended for 12 years. Apart from the abduction charges, the nine accused have been charged on 29 counts by the Attorney General, including threatening, assaulting, and intimidating the victim, Amila Priyankara, after she was 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.