The Supreme Court today (21) ordered an open warrant for the arrest of former Minister Premalal Jayasekara after he failed to appear for a hearing concerning a fatal shooting during the 2015 presidential election campaign.
The court directed that the warrant be issued through the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and instructed the Inspector General of Police to enforce it without delay. The two other defendants who appeared before court were ordered to be remanded.
The case concerns a shooting at an election campaign rally in Kahawatta in support of then-presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena. One person was killed in the incident.
The Ratnapura High Court sentenced Jayasekara and the two other accused to death after finding them guilty in connection with the shooting. The Court of Appeal subsequently acquitted and released all three following appeals against their convictions.
The aggrieved party challenged the acquittals before the Supreme Court, which concluded hearing the appeal on September 4 and issued notices directing the three defendants to appear today.
The three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Gihan Kulatunga ordered Jayasekara’s arrest and production before court after considering the submissions.
Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, appearing for the Attorney General, informed the court that Jayasekara was overseas.
