The Welisara Magistrate’s Court ruled that it was a crime to shoot and kill 11 inmates of Mahara Prison during a recent protest.
The Criminal Investigation Department was ordered to immediately arrest all the prison officials involved in the crime and present them to the court.
Welisara Magistrate Thusitha Dhammika Udivavidana stated that according to the manner in which the deceased were shot, it does not appear that they were shot to suppress a rebellion or for a humanitarian operation.
The Magistrate stated in the relevant hearing that it is doubtful whether the prison officers fired to disperse the inmates who were said to have behaved in a riotous manner in view of the manner in which the deceased were shot.
In this trial, evidence was presented that they were ordered to be shot from the knees down to quell the rebellion. But the magistrate stated that no detainee was shot below the knee.
