The Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing for the case concerning the deaths of prisoners in the violent clashes at Mahara Prison in 2020. The case to be called on March 17 follows a petition filed by the wife of Sampath Pushpa Kumara a prisoner who died during the incident.
The petitioner's lawyer reported that the Welisara Magistrate had previously ordered the arrest of suspects involved in the incident and their presentation in court. In addition, the Attorney General had earlier stated that super charges would be filed against the suspects.
However, during the hearing, the Deputy Solicitor General, representing the Attorney General, stated that it was challenging to identify the suspects, and as a result, the Attorney General had decided not to pursue the case further.
The petitioner's lawyer strongly opposed this decision, pointing out that the Attorney General had previously assured that charges would be filed. The lawyer urged that the Attorney General should not hold contradictory positions and called for a clear date to verify the facts of the petition.
