- The suspect has expressed an idea building peace among the people to rise up as one nation
- The CID should look into persons who have distorted the original version
LAKMALSOORIYAGODA
COLOMBO-
In an order delivered by Colombo Chief Magistrate has recently held that there appears to be a strong discrepancy between the views expressed by Azath Salley during a press conference and the content of the edited version published by the media.
Discrepancy between on final and edited version published by media
Colombo Chief Magistrate Buddhika C. Ragala had observed that if the entire unedited version of the press conference had been published, it would have been clear that the suspect has expressed an idea building peace among the people to rise up as one nation.
“The Court perused the unedited version and if the unedited version was shown to the public it was in fact about national harmony and rising up as one nation. The Criminal Investigations Department should look into persons who have distorted the original version to suit their necessities” the order said.
The order further said that no citizen who watched the unedited media conference could feel “ill will or hatred’: Salley had made an application before Colombo Chief Magistrate’s court that he be discharged from the case since there is no evidence to proceed a case against him for committing offences under Prevention of Terrorism Ac and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act. However, the Magistrate held that he has no power to discharge the suspect as Indictments have been filed in the High Court based on the same press conference.
The order issued by Colombo Chief Magistrate came to light yesterday when the Bail application filed on behalf of Salley was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Tillekaratne.(Daily Mirror)|?