Aluthgamage, seven others indicted in HC

Power Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and seven others were on Monday charged with unlawful assembly, abduction and attempted murder before High Court Judge Jayantha Perera.

The indictments are on nine counts, including that of being members of an unlawful assembly, abducting Ilangakoon Arachchilage Lalith Dharmakeerthi Mahanama and Ilankoon Arachchilage Nayananda Mahanama, causing grievous hurt and attempting to cause the death of Nayananda Mahanama at Paragala on December 05, 2001, the day of an election.

W. Prasanna Kumara, B. G. Sumedha Chamikara, H. P. H. Somadasa, Mahindananda Aluthgamage (Minister of Power), A. Ananda Aluthgamage (Provincial Council Member), K. B. Nihal Abeykoon, K. A. Weerasinghe, and W. A. Chinthaka Weerakkodi alias Saman are the accused in the case.

State Counsel Nawaratne Marasinghe prosecuted and President’s Counsel Wijaya Wickremeratne led the team of lawyers for the defence.

The Judge allowed bail in Rs. 5000 cash with two sureties for Rs. 50,000 plus two additional attesting sureties from the Nawalapitiya police division, for each accused.

He gave them time till September 19 to furnish bail and fixed the trial for February 17, 2009.

The Senior Counsel informed the Judge that the accused wished that the trial be taken up without a jury.

It was allowed by the Court.