Trial against Nawfer Moulavi, 24 others on February 28

The case filed against 25 accused including Nawfer Moulavi in connection with Easter Sunday terror attack that took place on April 21 in 2019, was fixed for trial on February 28 by the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar.

The case was taken up before the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar Bench comprising Colombo High Court Judges Damith Thotawatte,

Amal Ranaraja and Navaratne Marasinghe. When the case was taken up yesterday Additional Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundara appearing on behalf of the Attorney General informed court that as the prosecution of the case they intend to conduct a conference with the defence regarding the acceptances and other relevant matters to expedite the trial.

Therefore, they proposed the defence to come to the Attorney General’s Department and sort out their matters and obtain relevant material and information related to the case on February 6, 9 and 10.

The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar observed that it is necessary to conduct a fair trial with the agreement of the both parties. The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar allowed the request made by the prosecution and the case was fixed for Trial on February 28.

Due to a sudden illness 17th accused Yassin Bawa Abdul Rauf was not produced before Court by the Prison authorities while the other accused were produced.

All the accused were brought to court amid tight security.

The indictments have been filed in connection with eight attacks on Kochchikade St.Anthony’s shrine, Katuwapitiya St.Sebastian’s Church, The Kingsbury Hotel, Shangri-La Colombo, Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Batticaloa Zion Church, Dehiwala Tropical Inn against 25 accused.

The Attorney General filed indictments against Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed Nawfar alias Naufar Moulavi, Mohammed Saribu Adam Lebbe (Abu Hadik), Hayathu Mohammed Milhan (Abu Zillah), Mohammed Ibrahim Sadiq Abdullah (Abu Umar), Mohammed Ebrahim Abdul Haq (Abu Fala) , Mohammad Anwar Mohammad Riskan (Abu Tariq), Mohammad Mansoor Mohammad Sanasdeen (Abu Misan), Abdul Manaf Mohammad Piridavus, Mohammad Ramish Mohammad Zarik, Abdul Latif Mohammad Safi (Safi Moulavi / Abu Furqan), Husseinul Rizvi Mohammad Kahir Samir, Mohammad Zawheer Mohammad Hassan (Abu Dawood), Mohammad Iftikhar Mohammad Insaf (Abu Mohammad), Rashid Mohamed Ibrahim, Mohammed Hanifa Zainul Abdin (Abu Hina), Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Haris (Abu Nanjiar), Yassin Bawa Abdul Rauf, Rasik Raza Hussain, Kachchi Mohamed Jasmine, Zainul Abdeen Mohamed Jaseen, Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Rizwan, Meera Saheed Mohamed Nafli (Abu Sana), Mohamed Amin Ayantullah, Mohamed Ansar Deen Hilmi and Mohamed Akram in the High Court.

The indictments were filed against accused under the Prevention of Terrorism Act comprising 23, 270 charges including charges of conspiracy, preparation, aiding and abetting, collection of explosives and weapons, murder and attempted murder.