Jaffna court stopped from inquiring into shooting case

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 August 2004, 23:01 GMT]
The Court of Appeal has instructed the Jaffna Magistrate court to stop all proceedings in a case in which two Sri Lanka Army soldiers have been charged with the attempted murder of an 18 year-old Tamil boy for August 23. The boy was shot at by SLA soldiers when he was selling copies of a Tamil daily ‘Eelanatham’ in Jaffna town in December 2003.

In that incident the boy and a conductor working in a private bus were injured. The boy sustained serious injuries. Soldiers manning a checkpoint in the Jaffna central bus stand had fired at them, according to complaints to police.

The Court of Appeal made the order on a petition filed on behalf of suspect soldiers in an attempt to transfer the case to Colombo, legal sources said.

Counsel Mr. N.Sri Kantha who is appearing on behalf of the victim boy is to file an objection against the Court of Appeal order.

Meanwhile child rights activists in Jaffna are of opinion that the case should not be transferred to Colombo, as it would affect the underage victim psychologically.