133
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Dess statext that second accused
pleaded for his Blo.
Idroos Lebbe Abdul Rahiman, sworn.
Live at Hanwella. Employed in Mohammadu Haniffa's boutique. On the 1st At about 5.0 or 5.30 June it was also broken. All the Moor boutiques were broken. they began to break. At that time I was inside my boutique, which had been closed. I saw crowd when they broke our boutique. These three accused got into my boutique first, followed by the crowd. They looted, and things were carted The second accused saw me. They did not away. I was crouching in a corner.
About half the goods were locked up in a There was money in a big box which was
do any harm to me. Loss over £1,200. room, and they did not remove them.
·
(Ind. A. C.) removed. On that day Inspector came about 7.0 or 8.0 p.m. I mentioned the names
of these three accused to him.
We
At
Cross-examined: I was in my cousin's boutique that evening. He and others ran away. They were eight, including myself. I could not run as I am sick, and I was left behind. I heard at 4.0 o'clock that there was going to be riot. closed the boutique. When the crowd came they escaped by the back door. about 7.0, when the crowd had dispersed, I went out and called them from the jungle. Bahaduwa, sworn.
Age 22. Employed in the same shop as Nagur.
John Peter Goonatileke, sworn.
Sub-Inspector of Police, Padukka. On the 1st June I was at Padukka. I got information of looting at Hanwella at about 7.45. I came along with two con- stables to Hanwella. I found about seven Moor boutiques were looted. I made inquiries. I saw Abdul Rahiman about 9.0 p.m. He told me that the three accused came along with a gang and ordered them to break their boutique.
Cross-examined: When I came to the spot looting was almost over. I arrested I did not see these accused when I came. I met about ten or twelve
seven men.
Moors on the road.
The first prisoner, affd.
Prosecution closed.
Police vidane, Atygala, for two years and six months. I know the second and the third accused. They are of Atygala. There was looting at Atygala at 5 o'clock. People from seven or eight villages, about 400, looted Moorish boutiques. I tried my best to stop it. Second and third accused also used their endeavours to stop the looting. We did not allow them to break the buildings. Two Moorish boutiques I did not were looted. About 4.30. They came towards Hanwella after that. come with them. The second and third accused did not come with them. Besides us three there are other influential people at Atygala. We had not been charged at Atygala with looting or rioting. We came to Hanwella that evening about We 7.0 o'clock, as sergeant called us to come. When we arrived looting was over. remained half-an-hour. Then we went to our village.
Cross-examined: The sergeant called us to try and stop the looting at Han- wella. The crowd came from Atygala to Hanwella. Because the crowd came we came. I did not think I should come until the sergeant came there. I did not see the crowd going back.
Re-examined: The crowd was going in the Avisawella direction.
The second prisoner, sworn.
Christian, Baptist. My brother, third accused, is also a Baptist. Of Atygala village. Have been there all my life. Inquirer into deaths for three or four years. On the 1st June people from Colombo side came and looted boutiques. I tried to stop it.
Crowd about 400. Some of the crowd loaded things and went back to Colombo. Others came towards Hanwella. I came to Hanwella about 6.30 or 7.0, with the town sergeant, third accused, and the first accused. Sergeant called us and we came together. When we arrived at Hanwella they had finished looting. We remained here about half or three-quarters of an hour. Then we went back.
Cross-examined: Four or five hundred came towards Hanwella. The sergeant did not make any inquiries at Hanwella. I did not suggest that. When we went hack we saw people in the way going back, about fifty or seventy-five. No one in carts. I did not see anybody carrying loot. I recognized some leaders of the riot at Atygala I had no authority to report. The police vidane made the report. Those leaders came to Hanwella. They are in custody now.
The third prisoner, sworn.
There
Christian. Crowds came from Colombo to Atygala on the 1st June. were two boutiques they looted. We tried to stop, but failed. They tried to demolish a Moorish boutique. The crowd came towards Hanwella. We came at 6.30 or 7.0. The sergeant had called us. We all came together. We reached Han- wella about 7.0. Looting was over then. We remained at Hanwella about half an hour and returned. I am not in any way implicated in the riot at Atygala. Cross-examined: In connexion with Atygala riots I was arrested.
I did not see any Moormen in Hanwella on that day. I am not sure.
I met some people when coming to Hanwella. I did not see anybody carrying any- thing or in carts. I met police vidane, Hanwella. I did not speak to him. He told me that he had sent a wire to the police. I was hungry and went back, as it was late.
We all did not wait till the police arrived. Re-examined: I was not arrested in connexion with Atygala riots. been arrested in connexion with Hanwella riots. I was arrested on the 10th. H. Don Hadrian Gunasekera, affd.
5.30.
I have
Buddhist Town sergeant of Hanwella, eight years, I know these three accused. They are people of Atygala. On the 1st June I know there was a riot at Atygala. From my village I had to pass Atygala for Hanwella. My village is one-and-a-half miles from Atygala on the Colombo side. I reached Atygala about At that time looting was over at Atygala. I did not stop there. I met the three accused that evening at Atygala. When I came to Hanwella they accom- panied me. We arrived at Hanwella about 6.30. Riot was over at Hanwella at that time. The accused remained at Hanwella till about 8.0 or 9.0. I saw them after the Inspector came. I cannot say when they left Hanwella. At 8.0 o'clock they were in the bazaar. When we arrived at Hanwella they stopped at the junc- tion, and I came along to the boutiques that were looted. I did not back purposely
go to meet them. I cannot say if the Inspector spoke to them that evening.
Cross-examined: My house is one mile from the main road. I heard at 5.0 o'clock that crowds were coming to Hanwella from Nawagamuwa. I came walking to Hanwella. I did not stop at Atygala. The accused came along with me walking. I cannot remember whether I called them or they called me. We separated at Han- wella. I did not ask them what they were coming to Hanwella for. I met the headman, and knew that police were sent for. I was with the Inspector. I met Abdul Rahiman. I was not with the Inspector when he saw Abdul Rahiman. I was four fathoms away. Inspector was inside. I did not see.
I did not ask the result of the inquiry. Four of us were here inquiring We did not find out who the leaders were. I did not ask if they found out who the leaders were. I would have believed if the three accused were found to be the leaders. The Inspector met these accused about 10.0 o'clock, after examining Abdul Rahiman. The accused did not go back with me. I did not go back that day.
Re-examined: The accused came with me to Hanwella. If they were charged with rioting at Hanwella. I do not know if they were here before they accompanied me. They met me at Atygala about 6.0 or 6.30. It was dark when I arrived at Hanwella. It takes about ten minutes to walk from Atygala to Hanwella.
16th July, 1915.
A. CHICHESTER, Lieut.-Colonel.
The reasons for the recommendations to mercy in this case were that the Court were of opinion that the second and third accused were influenced and led on by the first accused, who was a Government official, and in the case of the second accused evidence was given that he prevented one of the Moor witnesses being assaulted in the boutiques.
A. CHICHESTER, Lieut.-Colonel.
16th July, 1915.
Certified true copy.
A. NORTHCOTE, Captain,
D.A.A.G.
CILITI
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.
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