News
“Ali Roshan” convicted on two counts, three others acquitted
View(s):By Ranjith Padmasiri
The three-judge Trial-at-Bar of the Colombo High Court, this week, sentenced Samarappulige Niraj Roshan Fernando, alias “Ali Roshan” to 15 years in prison after finding him guilty on two counts of keeping an elephant illegally without a permit.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 20.8 million on the accused. A total of 36 indictments were filed against the accused, but the court found him guilty only on two counts, ruling that the prosecution had failed to prove the other charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The Trial-at-Bar also acquitted and released three other accused who had been indicted along with “Ali Roshan”. Accordingly, Uchitha Nishan Dhammika, who is the brother of the accused, Paligapitiya Gamage Jayalath, a relative, and a former Deputy Director of the Department of Wildlife Conservation Upali Padmasiri were acquitted and released.
The accused was sentenced to five years in prison and fined Rs 200, 000 after being found guilty on the charge of keeping an elephant illegally under the guise of it being a registered elephant. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined Rs 20. 6 million after being found guilty of fraudulently keeping an elephant while knowing the animal had been stolen. The court ordered that both sentences be served concurrently.
The case was heard before a three-judge bench comprising High Court Judges Manjula Thilakaratne, R S S Sapuvida and Lanka Jayaratne.
The accused was indicted on charges of illegally keeping five elephants, though he was only found guilty of keeping one elephant illegally.
Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Prasanna Bandara led the prosecution with State Counsels Samadari Piyasena and Oswald Lakshman Perera.
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