Ratwatte to appear in Court in election murder case

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 December 2004, 10:56 GMT]
The prosecution in the Udathalawinne murder inquiry closed its case last week before a three member High Court Trial-at-Bar in which former Deputy Defence Minister General Anurudha Ratwatte, his two sons Lohan and Chanuka, and thirteen others have been indicted with the murder of ten Muslims on December 10, 2001 the general election day. The Court instructed the defence to call their witnesses to give evidence or dock statements on January 10, 2005, legal sources said

The defence informed court that General Anurudha Ratwatte and his two sons and other accused would be making statements from the dock when the inquiry resumes on January 10 next year, legal sources said.

The prosecution is entitled to cross-examine the accused if he gives evidence from the witness box and not from the dock, legal sources said.

The Trial-at-Bar comprised High Court Judges Mr.Eric Basanayake (President), Mr.Deepali Wijesundera and Mr.Sunil Rajapakse.

The Attorney General has indicted the accused on seventy two counts including murder of ten Muslims, threatening valid voters to prevent them from casting their votes in 2001 general election, and taking ballot boxes away from polling booths and threatening a police officer with death, legal sources said.