Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar rejects objections by Avant-Garde accused

The Attorney General filed the case under a series of charges including the illegal possession of 816 automatic firearms and 202,395 live bullets aboard the MV Avant-Garde without any legal document.

The accused filed their objections stating the charges in the case filed under 19 separate indictments cannot be carried forward.

However, dismissing those objections the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar decided to commence examination of the matter from the 02nd of September and postponed sittings to the 30th of July.

Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara who leads the prosecution informed court on Tuesday, the 07th accused in the case Nissanka Senadhipathi had filed a complaint with the Inspector General of Police against Rear Admiral Nilantha Heenatigala, the first complainant in the matter.

The Senior State Counsel said the prosecution will inquire as to whether naming a complainant in the case as a respondent at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry is an attempt to exert influence on court.

The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar announced in open court, the process of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry has no impact on the Permanent High Court and no legal or any other issue had arisen thus far.

The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar further noted the prosecution needs to decide on producing the first complainant to court to record evidence adding the bench is vested with the task of carrying out legal proceedings with respect to the case.