S. Visakeswara Iyer, former chief priest of the Trincomalee Koneswaram Temple, who is indicted with the murder 12 years ago of his wife Ambika, will be tried in absentia.
Last week, Trincomalee High Court Judge M. Ilancheliyan directed the prosecution to proceed with the case against the accused, who, along with his sureties and the chief eyewitness, are absconding. At the time of the murder, the accused was 32 years of age and chief priest of the historic Trincomalee Koneswaram Temple.
Iyer has been indicted by the Attorney General for murdering his wife Ambika on February 12, 1996. According to the charge, Ambika was strangled with a nylon rope and buried in the temple premises, in the quarters allocated to the chief priest. Ambika had one child.
Her remains were recovered a year later when Venkataraman Balamurali Sarma, an associate of the accused, walked into the Trincomalee police station on April 14, 1997 and made a statement relating to the murder. Mr. Sarma told the police that his conscience had compelled him to reveal the crime to the authorities.
The accused, who had fled to Jaffna, was arrested and brought to Trincomalee town by sea in a passenger vessel. The A9 highway was closed to traffic at the time.
The then Trincomalee Magistrate held non-summary proceedings into the murder of Ambika and committed the case to the High Court. Meanwhile, the accused was released on bail with two sureties. The police informed court that the accused, his two sureties and the chief eyewitness are absconding and that their whereabouts are not known.
The evidence of the then Trincomalee District Medical Officer, Dr. (Ms) Sivanathan, and the then police officer, was recorded.
State Counsel Suganthi Kanthasamy led the prosecution.
High Court Judge Mr. Ilancheliyan issued an open warrant for the arrest of the accused, his two sureties and the chief witness and ordered that they be produced in court at the next hearing.
The case will resume on November 10, 2008. | 
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