Arrest warrants issued in Sivaram murder case

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 May 2007, 11:07 GMT]
The Colombo High Court has issued arrest warrants on three key State witnesses listed by the Attorney General in the murder case of popular journalist and Senior Editor of TamilNet, Dharmaretnam Sivaram. The sole accused Arumugam Sriskandarajah alias Peter of Trincomalee was produced in court when the case was taken up for inquiry Monday.

Mr. Asela Vengapulli, Senior State Counsel told the court that three key state witnesses Chandana Gamage, K.Yogachchandran and M.Pathmanathan were not present in court and moved that the court should issue arrest warrant on the witnesses.

Accordingly the Judge W.A.T.Ratnayake issued arrest warrants on the witnesses and put off the inquiry in this case for July 16.

The case has been listed for trial before Sinhala speaking Jury, legal sources said.

Mr.M.I.M.Ameen, President Counsel (PC) appeared for the accused.

The accused has been indicted on four counts including the abduction and murder of Mr.Sivaram on April 20, 2005 and also having conspired with some unnamed persons to abduct and kill Mr.Sivaram between the period of January 1 and April 20, 2005, legal sources said.

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