91
CHARGES against :-
164
Court MartIAL.
Charge Sheet.
Mohotige Punchi Banda.
The Charge. The above-named accused, being a person subject to military law, is charged with murder, in that he, at Nuwara Eliya, on or about the 2nd June, 1915, did feloniously, wilfully, and of malice aforethought kill and murder one Velupillai, police constable, contrary to Section 41 of the Army Act.
A. E. ANDREWs, Major,
Hampshire Regiment, President, Field General Court Martial.
CASE against :-
1.
165
KANDY COURT Martial.
Preliminary Proceedings.
Hedila Herat Mudiyanselage Punchi Banda.
2. Adikkara Mudiyanselage Mitulagaherawe Kiri Banda.
3. Puwakgahediwila Siriwardene Kiri Banda.
4. Ekanayake Mudiyanselage Asweddugedera Kalu Banda.
I direct that the above-named accused be tried by court martial on charges following:-1, treason; 2, riotously destroying a building; 3, riotously destroying a building (mosque): 4, shopbreaking.
ROBERT CHALMERS,
Governor.
26th July, 1915.
Court Martial held at KANDY ON THE 26TH JULY, 1915.
Accuse:
Mohotige Punchi Banda.
Charge. Murder, on 2nd June, at Nuwara Eliya.
Police Constable 1887, Wesrakoon, of Nuwara Eliya, affd.
I am Police Constable 1887, Nuwara Eliya. On the 2nd of June I was return- ing to the police station at about 6.30 p.m. with Velupillai and Police Constable Nagar We were in uniform. I heard a disturbance. A man came running towards us. He is this accused. He stabbed Velupillai with a knife to the left of the cheat. He fell down dead. I and Nagar caught him. While he was struggling Constable Nagar came and took the knife out of him. I did not smell liquor on the
accused.
Police Constable Nagar 256.
I am Police Constable 256, Nuwara Eliya. On 2nd June I was returning to the police station at about 6.30 p.m. with Police Constables Velupillai and Weera- koon. I heard a disturbance. The accused came running towards us. He stabbed could not notice that the Velupillai on the chest. He fell dead. I seized him. accused was drunk. There was no smell of liquor.
The accused says:-
I lost one of my brothers in Kandy. I got drunk.
My master knows that I
was drunk. I got a pint of brandy from my master and drank that too. My only excuse is that I was drunk.
Defence.-Called no witnesses in defence. Accused found guilty.
A. E. ANDREWS, Major,
Hampshire Regiment, President, Field General Court Martial.
26th July, 1915.
KANDY, No. 2.-FIELD GENeral Court MARTIAL. 26th-31st July, 1915.
Prisoner :-
Mohotige Punchi Banda.
Charge:-
Murder.
Finding :-
Guilty.
Death.
Sentence:--
President Major A. E. Andrews, the Hampshire Regiment.
20th July, 1915.
21st July, 1915.
CHARGES against:—
Court Martial. Charge Sheet.
1. Hedila Herat Mudiyanselage Punchi Banda, Korala, Medasiya
Pattu.
2.
3.
4.
First Charge.
Adikkara Mudiyanselage Mitulagaherawe Kiri Banda, Watuliadde
Arachchi.
Puwakgahediwila Siriwardene Kiri Banda, Doraliadde Arachchi. Ekanayake Mudiyanselage Asweddugedera Kalu Banda, Bombure
Vel-Muladeniya.
The above-named accused, being persons subject to military law. are charged with treason, in that they, at Moragahamulla, on or about the 1st and 2nd June, 1915, did levy war against our lord the King, contrary to Section 41 of the Army Act.
Second Charge. The above-named accused are further charged with riotously destroying a building, in that they, at the place aforesaid, on the 1st June, in pur- suance of the said treason, were members of a riotous and tumultuous assembly, assembled together to the disturbance of the public peace, which said assembly did feloniously, unlawfully, and with force destroy the boutique of one M. K. M. Čader Saibo, contrary to Section 11 of the Malicious Damage Act, 1861, and Section 41 of the Army Act.
Third Charge. The above-named accused are further charged with riotously destroying a building (mosque), in that they, at the same place, on the 2nd June, in execution of the treason aforesaid, were members of an unlawful, riotous, and tumultuous assembly, assembled together to the disturbance of the public peace. which said assembly did feloniously, unlawfully, and with force destroy a place of divine worship, to wit, a mosque, contrary to Section 11 of the Malicious Damage Act, 1861, and Section 41 of the Army Act.
Fourth Charge.-The above-named accused are further charged with shop- breaking, in that they, at the same place, on the 2nd June, 1915, in execution of the said treason, were members of an unlawful assembly, with the common object of destroying the property of His Majesty's Moorish Mohammedan subjects in Ceylon, which said assembly did break into the shop of one P. M. Assen Ali, and did commit felony therein, to wit, larceny, contrary to Section 56 of the Larceny Act, 1861, and Section 41 of the Army Act.
A. E. ANDREWS, Major,
Hampshire Regiment,
President Field General Court Martial.
30th July, 1915.
Court Martial held at Kandy, 30th July, 1915.
ACCUSED:-
1. Hedila Herat Mudiyanselage Punchi Banda.
2. Adikkara Mudiyanselage Mitulagaherawe Kiri Banda.
3. Puwakgahediwila Siriwardene Kiri Banda.
4. Ekanayake Mudiyanselage Asweddugedera 'Kalu Banda.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
I, I, I, I LI
Reference :-
CO. 882/10
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