The long-running trial on the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks is set to move into an accelerated phase, with hearings to be held daily at a newly designated court premises in Colombo.

In an unprecedented shift, the trial has been relocated to a house previously occupied by the late Parliamentarian Sanath Nishantha. The new special High Court is now operating at No. 409, Section 76, Baudhdhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, following instructions issued by the Chief Justice to fast-track the proceedings.

The Attorney General filed the main indictment on 10 August 2021, presenting 23,270 charges against 25 suspects. These charges span allegations of planning and executing the coordinated suicide bombings, aiding and abetting, weapons acquisition, the murder of 268 individuals, and injuries to 594 others.

Reading the full list of charges in court was deemed impractical—it would have taken nearly three years—leading the Attorney General’s Department, defence counsel and the court to agree on a shortened procedure. This process concluded in February 2023.

The trial is now before a three-judge panel chaired by Justice Navaratne Marasinghe. Justices Damith Thotawatta and Amal Ranaraja, who initially presided, were later elevated to the Court of Appeal. One suspect, Yasin Bawa Abdul Rauf, has died in custody, reducing the number of accused to 24. The prosecution is led by Additional Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundara.

None of the suspects has pleaded guilty to any of the charges. They have also refused to acknowledge that the explosions at eight locations were suicide attacks.

As a result, the prosecution must prove every aspect of the case, including establishing that the attacks were carried out by suicide bombers and identifying the perpetrators. Investigators have recorded nearly 8,000 statements and analysed roughly 100,000 sets of phone data.

Around 60 to 70 witnesses have so far testified. The trial has been slowed by an appeal filed by the 15th suspect, who challenged a High Court ruling that his confession was admissible. Although the appeal is pending before the Supreme Court, the Attorney General’s Department and defence counsel have agreed to proceed with the remaining evidence to avoid further delays.

Complications also arise because the judges presiding over the trial are handling numerous other cases, while several suspects face separate legal proceedings in High Courts in Puttalam, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Kurunegala.

The case was previously scheduled for only eight days per month to accommodate these overlapping commitments. The Chief Justice’s directive for daily hearings at the new standalone venue is intended to give the trial the necessary priority.

The court has put in place mechanisms for a fair trial, including providing interpretation in Tamil for the suspects. Justice Marasinghe’s fluency in Tamil is noted to assist in verifying the accuracy of translations during testimony.