Lawyers should grasp meaning of simple Sinhala words - Judge

Sandasen Marasinghe

COLOMBO: Colombo High Court Judge I. M. Abeyratne yesterday expressed the view that lawyers should grasp the meaning of simple ordinary Sinhala words at the Royal Park murder case.

The Judge said he did not know any other better Sinhala word for 'Ekkan Yanawa' (accompanying) which is a simple Sinhala word. He also observed that people who underwent their education in Sri Lanka for years but after learning a few months in the United Kingdom think their motherland is UK.

The Judge made this observation when President's Counsel Mohan Pieris appearing for the defence asked witness Police Inspector E. Samarawickrama of the Search Division of the Finger Print Bureau to explain "what Ekkan Yanawa (Accompanying), was. Were you carried by them ?" the Counsel asked the police witness in response to the witness' evidence "Etana Hitapu Police Niladarin Mawa Ekkan Giya" (the Policemen accompanied me near the crime scene).

The witness giving evidence, said he was accompanied near the crime scene on July 1, 2005 when he went to examine the scene for fingerprints, when he was cross-examined by the President's Counsel Mohan Pieris. Witness also said the fingerprints found in the van did not tally with the fingerprints of the suspect or of the victim.

Sharman Jude Anthony is charged with the murder of Yvonne Jonsson on July 1, 2005 at the Royal Park premises.

Deputy Solicitor General Jayantha Jayasuriya, and State Counsel Lakmali Karunanayake appeared for the prosecution. The case was postponed for March 15.