Journalists unseated at HC trial

The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar yesterday removed all journalists who had come to Court to cover the proceedings of the case filed against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando in connection with the Easter Sunday attack from where they were seated.

When the case was taken up before the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar bench comprising High Court Judges Namal Balalle (President), Adhithya Patabendige and Mohamed Irshadeen, a police officer who arrived shortly before the prosecution witnesses’ hearing informed journalists seated on the benches reserved for the Police Officers and Witnesses, to leave and sit on the benches reserved for the prisoners.

Journalists left without covering the case as they did not receive a proper response to their request to be allowed to return to their previous seats where they used to sit seated as none of the statements made in court could be heard from the suggested seating area.

The Attorney General had filed indictment against former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando comprising 855 charges including charges of failing to prevent Easter Sunday attacks despite receiving enough information to prevent attack and alleging that 275 people had died and nearly 500 had been injured as a result of failing to prevent the attacks on charges of murder and attempted murder under sections 296 and 300 of the Penal Code.