The case filed against Samarappulige Niraj Roshan alias Ali Roshan and six others for allegedly keeping four elephants in their possession without valid permits was yesterday fixed for November 28 by the Colombo Permanent High Court.
The case will be taken up again on November 28 in order to ascertain whether the defence received the required documents to face the trial. On a previous occasion, the court had served indictments on seven accused including two Wildlife officers. The Attorney General had filed indictments against Samarappulige Niraj Roshan and Wildlife Officers Upali Padmasiri and Priyanka Sanjeewani, Gihan Dhammika, Chandana Kumara, S. Gamlath and Gamage Jayalath for conspiring to possess four elephants without permits between June 5, 2012 and August 31, 2015.
The Trial-at-Bar bench comprising High Court Judges Sampath Abeykoon (President), Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne fixed the case for November 28.
They have been charged under 24 counts for violating the provisions of the Fauna and Flora Ordinance and Public Property Act.
It is alleged that the first accused Samarappulige Niraj Roshan alias Ali Roshan was the mastermind behind the racket where illegally caught wild elephant calves were being sold to third parties.
The Attorney General has listed 15 items as production items and named 30 individuals including two veterinary surgeons of the Wildlife Department and two professors of the Peradeniya University Veterinary Department as witnesses. Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara appeared for the Attorney General.
President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne with senior counsel Ajith Pathirana appeared for the accused.
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