The Supreme Court on Thursday (31 July) granted leave to proceed with an appeal challenging the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and release former Minister Premalal Jayasekara (also known as Choka Malli), and two others, who had been sentenced to death over the fatal shooting of Shanta Dodangoda, during a political rally, held in support of then-presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena, in Kahawatte, in 2015, The aggrieved party, claiming a miscarriage of justice, had filed the appeal before the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the acquittal. After considering the matter yesterday, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justices Janak de Silva, Priyantha Fernando, and Sampath Abeykoon, granted leave to proceed.
The hearing of the petition was fixed for 13 Feb.
The petitioning party contends that the acquittal by the Court of Appeal was contrary to law and has requested the Supreme Court to annul the decision and reinstate the original death sentence imposed by the High Court on Premalal Jayasekara and the other accused.
By A.J.A. Abeynayake