Two individuals who pleaded guilty to charges relating to the illegal storage of firearms and explosives at the Lactowatta Estate in Wanathavilluwa, Puttalam, in 2018 have been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo Trial-at-Bar.
The sentences were imposed on Abu Haneefa Mohamed Musif and Ameer Hamza Mohamed Hamas when the case was taken up today (07) before a three-member bench of the Colombo High Court comprising Judges Lal Ranasinghe Bandara, Rashmi Singappuli and Nayomi Wickramasekara.
The case relates to the discovery of firearms, ammunition and materials allegedly intended for the manufacture of explosives at the Lactowatta Estate. The items were reportedly linked to a group that included Zahran Hashim, who later led the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.
The Attorney General had filed indictments against six accused in connection with the incident, covering 14 charges.
During investigations in 2018, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) recovered a quantity of nitrate believed to be explosive material, 12 rounds of live ammunition, a firearm, as well as stocks of nitric acid and urea allegedly intended for use in manufacturing explosives.
The case against the remaining accused is expected to proceed separately.
