Ratwatte released on bail

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 November 2002, 14:00 GMT]
The Colombo High Court Friday allowed all the fifteen accused in the Udathalawinne murder case in a sum of five hundred thousand rupees personal bail and fixed the trial for January 20 next year. The accused included the former Deputy Defence Minister General Anurudha Ratwatte and his two sons Lohan and Chanuka.

The case was taken up for inquiry Friday before a three-member bench of the Colombo High Court specially appointed to conduct trial-at-bar inquiry. The bench comprises Mr. Eric Basanayake (Chairman), Mr.Sunil Rajapakse and Mr.Deepal Wijesundera.

The Attorney General has indicted the accused for committing the murder of ten Muslims youths on the last general election day- December 5, 2001- at Udathalawinne in the Kandy district. The accused have been charged on seventy-two counts.

The Court ordered the prosecution to submit finger print reports of the accused on the trial date.