Judge arrested on charge of conspiracy

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 September 1998, 23:15 GMT]
Most court activities have been brought to a halt for the fourth day running, as thousands of lawyers boycotted the courts in protest over the arrest and detention of supreme court judge, Mr. Mahanama Thilakaratne.

The judge, along with his son and two others, was arrested for allegedly plotting to assassinate army sergeant Uyalagehevage Somasandre, and assembling illegally.

He was produced in Kospava court in Colombo yesterday 17. of September in connection with the case, but the hearing was postponed to 22. of September.

The head of the Sri Lanka lawyers association, Mr. Romesh De Silva said that his organisation was concerned about the future of the independent judiciary, and wanted to express this concern to the public through the protest.

The PA parliamentarian, Mr. Vasudeve Naneyekare, said in his comment about the judge's arrest, that the move was a challenge to the independent judiciary and the whole of human society.

Sources indicate that the president of Sri Lanka has asked the police IG to submit a proper explanation on the arrest of the judge, and that a large demonstration was also held in Pananthura in protest of the arrest.