Gafoor Mama sentenced to 12 years over Wanathawilluwa explosives case

Mohamed Shareef Adam Lebbe, alias ‘Gafoor Mama’, the third accused in the case involving the discovery of explosives and other prohibited materials at a property in Lactowatta, Wanathawilluwa, has been sentenced to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment.

The sentence was delivered today (October 28) by a three-judge bench of the Colombo Special High Court after the accused pleaded guilty to five charges brought 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, resulting in a total imprisonment term of 12 years, according to an Ada Derana reporter.

The court also directed 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, he has approximately four-and-a-half years left to serve.

In determining the sentence, the judges considered several factors, including the accused's decision to admit the charges 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 regarding the charges against him.

The court ordered that the case be taken up again at 8.00 a.m. tomorrow (October 29) to determine his position. The prison superintendent was directed to produce him before the court by 7.45 a.m.

The bench also ordered that special security arrangements be made for ‘Gafoor Mama’ when he is produced before the High Courts in Kegalle and Batticaloa, where two other cases against him are pending.

The Attorney General had filed charges against six accused under 13 counts in connection with the case. According to submissions made before the court, five of the accused have now pleaded guilty to the relevant charges and received sentences.

The sixth accused is expected to appear before the court tomorrow to inform the bench whether he intends to plead guilty, potentially allowing the proceedings against him to be concluded through an expedited process.