Easter Sunday attacks trial enters its final stage, with the three-judge High Court due to deliver its verdict on September 22.
The Easter Sunday attacks trial involving 24 accused, including Naufer Mawlawi, has entered its final stage, with the Colombo Permanent Three-Judge High Court fixing September 22 for the verdict.
The court made the decision today, August 24, after concluding the defence evidence hearing in the main case arising from the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.
The case is being heard before a three-judge High Court bench comprising High Court Judges Navaratne Marasinghe, who serves as Chairman, Sujeewa Nishshanka and Ramanadan Kannan.
The defence concluded presenting evidence this evening. Both sides are now expected to file written submissions during the first week of September.
Easter Sunday Attacks Trial Lasted Nearly Five Years
The Attorney General filed the case over allegations of conspiracy and assistance linked to the coordinated suicide bombings on April 21, 2019.
The attacks targeted Christian churches and leading tourist hotels in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa.
Authorities initially named 25 accused in the case.
However, one accused died in 2021, leaving 24 defendants to face trial.
The Attorney General formally indicted the remaining accused on October 4, 2021, on a total of 23,270 charges.
The Easter Sunday attacks trial has since continued for more than 540 court days over nearly five years.
During that period, more than 2,300 prosecution witnesses testified before the three-judge bench.
The scale of the case has made it one of the most extensive criminal proceedings connected to the 2019 attacks.
Court Accepts Confessions and Thousands of Exhibits
The prosecution presented a large body of documentary, forensic and physical evidence during the proceedings.
The court accepted 10 confessions made by accused persons as evidence.
Prosecutors also marked 2,076 case exhibits during the trial.
These included explosives, weapons and chemicals allegedly connected to bomb-making activities.
The court also received numerous Government Analyst reports, DNA reports, medical records and post-mortem reports as part of the evidence.
A team of senior lawyers from the Attorney General’s Department led the prosecution.
The team included Senior Additional Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundara and Additional Solicitor General Sudarshana de Silva.
With the evidence stage now complete, the court will consider the written submissions before delivering its decision next month.
Security Tightened Ahead of September 22 Verdict
Police Headquarters has also moved to strengthen security around the three judges hearing the case.
Authorities took the step following the conclusion of the evidence stage and the fixing of the verdict date.
Additional security arrangements have been introduced for the protection of the bench.
These measures include the deployment of special security motorcycle squads.
The verdict on September 22 will bring the Easter Sunday attacks trial to a decisive stage after nearly five years of hearings, thousands of witnesses and more than 23,000 charges against the remaining 24 accused.
