Security has been tightened for the judges hearing the Easter Sunday attacks Trial-at-Bar as the case enters a crucial stage involving key prosecution evidence, State owned national newspaper Dinamina reported.
According to reports, the security arrangements for the three-member High Court Trial-at-Bar bench have been strengthened with immediate effect, with the number of police motorcycle escorts assigned to the judges increased from yesterday (5).
The special bench, comprising High Court Judges Navaratne Marasinghe (President), Sujeewa Nissanka and Ramanathan Kannan, is conducting the daily trial into the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks on churches and tourist hotels in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa.
The case, filed against 24 accused including Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Naufer alias Naufer Maulavi, has been hearing several key witnesses, with some testimony continuing into the night.
The development comes days after the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar sentenced former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando to death over their failure to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks despite prior intelligence warnings.
