High Court rejects Ratwatte bail application

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 June 2003, 11:17 GMT]
The Trial-at-Bar of the High Court inquiring into the Udathalawinne massacre case Wednesday refused bail for the fifteen accused including former Defence Minister General Anurudha Ratwatte and his two sons Lohan and Chanuka. The three member Trial-at-Bar rejected the bail application by the accused which was forwarded to them by the Supreme Court for perusal and determination, legal sources said.

Two of three High Court Judges Messrs Eric Basanayake and P.B.Jayasundera in rejecting the bail application said, "social and political status could not be considered in granting bail to the accused."

"We make the order rejecting the bail application taking into consideration the charges leveled against the accused. The first accused General Ratwatte was indicted on thirty charges including murder and other related offences. Further more the Attorney General has expressed his opinion against releasing the accused on bail based on evidence against the accused," Judges Mr. Eric Basanayake and Mr. P.B.Jayasundera said.

Judge Mr.Sunil Rajapakse giving dissenting order said "All the accused should be released on bail as there was no complaint against them regarding intimidation of witnesses and others related in the case."

The accused have been indicted with the murder of ten Muslim youths of Udathalawinne in Kandy district on the Election Day, 10th December, 2001, legal sources said.

All attempts made by the accused at every stage of the inquiry from the Magistrate’s Court to the Court of Appeal were unsuccessful. Finally they filed revision application in the Supreme Court which forwarded it to the High Court to determine whether the accused could be allowed in bail.

The three-member High Court which inquiring into the Udathalawinne massacre case Wednesday announced its divided decision, majority of the judges rejecting the bail application, legal sources said.

Related Articles:
01.05.03   Ratwatte security tightened - IGP
29.04.03   Security to be tightened for Ratwatte trial
23.04.03   Ratwatte’s final attempt at bail turned down
19.03.03   Udathalawinna massacre case postponed
23.01.03   Ratwatte's bail petition denied
22.01.03   General Ratwatte further remanded
20.01.03   Trial-at-Bar inquiry into Udathalawinne massacre begins
15.11.02   Ratwatte released on bail
29.08.02   Gen. Ratwatte's bank lockers searched