Colombo, Oct. 21 (Daily Mirror) - The Supreme Court today issued an open warrant for the arrest of former Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Ratnapura District Parliamentarian Premalal Jayasekara alias Choka Malli for failing to appear in court in connection with an appeal in connection with the murder of an individual following a shooting incident during the 2015 Presidential Election.
The three-judge Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Gihan Kulatunga, also ordered that the open warrant be executed through the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Counsel appearing on behalf of Premalal Jayasekara informed the Supreme Court that his client was unable to appear in court today as he could not be contacted.
Senior Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, appearing for the Attorney General, informed the court that, according to Immigration and Emigration records, Premalal Jayasekara had left Sri Lanka on August 31, 2026 and travelled to Bangkok, Thailand.
President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris, appearing on behalf of the aggrieved party, moved the court to issue a warrant for the arrest of the accused-appellant.
On July 31, 2020, Premalal Jayasekera and two others were convicted by Ratnapura High Court for committing murder of Shantha Dodamgoda while being engaged in decorating the election stage in Kahawatta area. They were sentenced to death for causing the death of Dodamgodage by shooting and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 296 read with section 146 of the Penal Code.
On March 31, 2022, the Court of Appeal ordered to acquit and discharge Premalal Jayasekera and two others from the Kahawatta murder case.
Subsequently, the aggrieved party filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the Court of Appeal judgment.