Mohamed Shareef Adam Lebbe, also known as ‘Gafoor Mama’, the third accused in a case involving the stockpiling of explosives and other prohibited materials at a property in Lactowatta, Wanathawilluwa, has been sentenced to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The sentence was handed down today (28) by a three-judge bench of the Colombo Special High Court after the accused pleaded guilty to five charges filed against him.
The bench, comprising Justices Lal Ranasinghe Bandara, Rashmi Singappuli and Nayomi Wickramasinghe, imposed a 12-year prison term for each charge. However, the sentences are to run concurrently, meaning the total prison term amounts to 12 years, Ada Derana reporter said.
The court also ordered that the seven-and-a-half years the accused has already spent in remand custody and under detention orders be deducted from his sentence. Accordingly, it was stated in court that he would have approximately four-and-a-half years remaining to serve.
In delivering the sentence, the judges took into consideration the accused’s decision to plead guilty without prolonging the trial, his age of 63, and other special circumstances.
Meanwhile, the sixth accused in the case, Mohamed Rameez Mohamed Sajith, also known as ‘Sajith Moulavi’, has requested additional time to inform the court of his position on the charges against him.
The court ordered that the case be called again at 8.00 a.m. tomorrow (29) to ascertain his position. The prison superintendent was directed to produce him before the court by 7.45 a.m.
The court further ordered that special security be provided to ‘Gafoor Mama’ when he is taken before the High Courts in Kegalle and Batticaloa, where two other cases are pending against him.
The Attorney General had filed charges against six accused under 13 counts in this case. According to submissions made in court, five of the accused have now pleaded guilty to the relevant charges and have been sentenced.
The sixth accused is expected to be produced before the court tomorrow to inform the bench whether he intends to plead guilty and bring the proceedings to a conclusion through the expedited procedure.
