Friday Mar 27, 2026
Friday Mar 27, 2026
Friday, 27 March 2026 05:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Former Tamil National Alliance MP Nadarajah Raviraj
The Court of Appeal has directed a fresh trial in the assassination of former Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian Nadarajah Raviraj, overturning the earlier acquittal of the accused, including three Navy intelligence officers.
The order was issued by a bench comprising Justices B. Sasi Mahendran and Amal Ranaraja on March 26, 2026, following an appeal by the Attorney General against the Colombo High Court’s verdict, according to report by Newswire.lk.
The accused had been indicted on charges including conspiracy to assassinate MP Raviraj, causing his death, and the killing of Police Constable Lakshman, who was travelling with him at the time. Among those charged were three Sri Lanka Navy intelligence personnel.
The case was heard before a special jury in 2016, which returned a unanimous verdict acquitting all accused. The Attorney General subsequently challenged the ruling, citing shortcomings in the trial process.
The Court of Appeal held that the High Court Judge had failed to properly guide the jury, particularly in relation to evaluating the evidence of an accomplice witness who had been granted a conditional pardon and whose testimony was central to the prosecution.
The bench also noted concerns over the manner in which the jury was addressed, observing that the judge’s directions extended late into the night, with proceedings continuing until around 11:00 p.m. and the verdict delivered shortly after midnight.
After reviewing the record, the Court of Appeal determined that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the case and ruled that the acquittal should be set aside.
The Court accordingly ordered that the matter be retried before the High Court.
Nadarajah Raviraj was shot dead in Colombo in November 2006 along with his police bodyguard, in an incident that drew widespread local and international attention.
