In a ruling issued today (16), Colombo Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura ordered the release of former leaders of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF), Lahiru Weerasekara, and former Bhikkhu Bala Mandalaya leader, Tampitiye Sugathananda, in connection with a case related to a protest held on October 10, 2017, demanding the closure of the SAITM University.
The two accused were charged with violating a court order during the protest, but Magistrate Lankapura, after reviewing the case, stated that the evidence presented against them failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
At the time of the ruling, both Lahiru Veerasekara and Sugathananda, who had previously been released on bail, appeared in court. The Magistrate referred to a previous order issued by Colombo’s Chief Magistrate, Tanuja Lakmali, in which the charges against the two had not been substantiated enough to proceed. Consequently, the court decided to discharge the case against them.
