(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – Wasantha Mudalige, the convener of the Inter-University Student federation, who has been remanded under the Prevention of Terrorism Act was acquitted of the charges filed under the PTA and released yesterday (Jan 31).
When the relevant case was called before the court yesterday, Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis ordered the release of the student leader.
Delivering the order, the chief magistrate said the accused was not found to have committed any offenses under the PTA. The Magistrate clarifying the facts said there is no evidence to further detain Wasantha Mudalige under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The lawyers who represented Wasantha Mudalige said Mudalige should be released as there is no evidence against him to be remanded under the PTA.
Taking those facts into consideration and based on the available evidence, the Magistrate ordered to release Wasantha Mudalige.
The Magistrate emphasized that it has not been revealed that the suspect committed violent acts or directed violent acts or gave instructions for the same.
The magistrate’s order states that Gemunu Wijeratne’s statement that Mudalige exchanged money with foreign terrorist organizations is an undisclosed fact without evidence and it is just a statement.
Also, it was confirmed in the court that there was no evidence that Wasantha Mudalige made any statement that would raise racism or religious extremism.
The magistrate mentioned that the critical statement made by a person called Motivation Appachchi about the actions of the inter-university student body in the struggle were mere statements.
The Magistrate has also mentioned that some facts were created by misusing the Prevention of Terrorism Act to detain Wasantha Mudalige for a long time.
Taking these facts into consideration, the magistrate has emphasized that he does not have the legal capacity to further remand Wasantha Mudalige.
