The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday ordered that further examination of evidence in the case against six accused — including former minister Wimal Weerawansa — over a 2016 protest outside the United Nations office in Colombo be taken up on July 13.
The matter was heard before Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama. Court officials noted witnesses were not present, prompting the adjournment, Newswire reported.
The charges stem from a February 6, 2016 demonstration coinciding with the visit of then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Al Hussein. Protesters allegedly blocked the road outside the UN office at Thummulla, Colombo, leading to public disruption. Kurunduwatta Police filed the case against Weerawansa and five others under the Road Ordinance and the Police Ordinance.
The adjournment carries the prosecution into its tenth year. Chief Magistrate Bodaragama is the same bench handling the active Chandrasena Airbus bail-cancellation track, and a separate criminal-defamation case where Weerawansa’s wife Shashi was ordered to appear over passport allegations is also pending.
Source: Newswire.
