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Mohammadu Meera Saibo, affd.
I am a trader, Hanwella. On the 28th May I saw the first accused. He said: There is a disturbance. We have a Sinhalese flag. You should give your things to our charge and go away." I
gave my boutique to his charge and went away on the 1st of June. I had already heard of the rioting in other places, such as Tel- deniya, Urugala, etc. Hanwella is about a mile from Urugala. I returned to my boutique on the 15th June. It was locked up. Afterwards I got the Rate- mahatmaya to open it, and found that all my things had gone away. I did not get them back. He has not given me any compensation.
Cross-examined: I stated before Mr. Stevenson the flag incident. know why he has not recorded it.
I do not
The Defence.
First accused, Kiri Banda, Peace Officer, affd.
I
I
I am Peace Officer, Gendeke Korale. I am the first accused in this case. have been in service for six years. Before that I was Arachchi for four years. have been in Government service for ten years. I live in Udawela. I heard the evidence against me. It is not true that I was in the armed crowd that attacked the boutique of Abdul Cader. I was not at Udawela when Abdul Cader's boutique was broken. After the riots the Moormen are angry with Sinhalese. Before this there never was a criminal case against me. I know the witness Ellegedera Appu- hamy. He is not on good terms with me.
Second accused, Punchi Banda, Peace Officer, affd.
I am Peace Officer, Gampaha West. I am the second accused in this case. My age is 38. On the day of the riots I was at home. My house is six miles from the scene of the riots. A child of mine was not well. I was at home. I know nothing of these riots.
Cross-examined: On the 2nd of June we had heard of the riots in Kandy. Third accused, H. Appuhamy, Vel-Muladeniya of Hanwella, afid.
I am the Vel-Muladeniya of Hanwella. I did not take part in the looting of Abdul Cader's boutique. On that day I was at Dumbara on some private business.
Cross-examined: That is thirty-two miles off.
Fourth accused, A. D. Thoronis Appuhamy, affd.
I am a man of Madugoda. I heard the evidence against me.
It is not true.
I have mentioned the name of a doctor-Dr. Rambukwella-to prove that my wife was insane and that he attended her, and he is to prove that I was at my house in Madugoda at the time these riots took place. My house is about five miles from the
scene of the riot.
Cross-examined: I saw the doctor at 5.0 p.m. on the 2nd of June at my house. He is a man of Katugastota. He went there to relieve somebody. He was there about a month.
Fifth accused, S. M. Ratnakara, affd.
I am a cultivator. I am the fifth accused in this case. I heard the evidence against me, charging me as one of the people who attacked Cader's boutique. I say
Sixth accused, W. D. Dingiri Banda, affd.
I am sixth accused in this case. I neard the evidence against me with attack- ing the boutique of Abdul Cader. It is not true. I live at Talaguna. I did not go to Uduwala. I was thrashing my paddy. Talaguna is about two-and-a-halt miles from Udawela.
Cross-examined: I am brother of the Korala.
Seventh accused, D. Ram Banda, affd.
On the
It is in
I am seventh accused in this case. I deny the charges against me. evening of the 2nd of June I was in my village on the threshing floor. Talaguna. I met the Talaguna Arachchi that evening. I complained to him about a cattle trespass on my field. About five cattle had trespassed, and I held the animals. The Arachchi did not come at that time, which was at about 5.30 p.m. He came the next day, and assessed the damages at five bushels. Talaguna is about two miles from Abdul Cader's boutique. Adjoining my field there is Dingiri Banda's field. He was working there that evening.
Wijeratna Banda, Talaguna Arachchi, affd.
I am Arachchi of Talaguna. I know the accused Ram Banda. complaint to me on the 2nd of June with regard to a cattle trespass.
He made a He came to
me at about 4.0 p.m. His complaint was that some cattle were tied by him for trespass about five animals. He wanted me to come and assess the damages. 1 did not go that evening. I went the following morning and assessed the damages at five bushels. My house is three miles from Cader's house.
Eighth accused, H. N. Kiri Banda, affd.
I am the eighth accused in this case. My age is about 60. I live in Rambuk- wella, twenty-five miles from Udawela. I am a cripple. My leg is broken. For a considerable time I walked on crutches. Even now I have got to bandage that leg. I cannot see properly. My tongue is wounded. I am in very poor physical strength. I have been charged with having come this distance and attacked Cader's boutique. and again with having gone at 2.0 o'clock in the morning to discover the Moormen. It is false. From my place to get to Udawela there is an uphill. It is a very stifl hill, with a series of rock steps. I am unable to go.
The finding of the Court;—
First accused is guilty of all the charges against him except that of
committing an offence of a fraudulent character.
Fifth accused is not guilty: he is acquitted.
The other accused are guilty of all the charges against them.
Prisoners:
Charges:
In
it is not true. On the 2nd of June I went to the hill and was returning home. the evening I went to Pallewella. There were riots there. I met the Pallewella Arachchi. I told him what I saw on the way, and said: "Those people will come here also." That night I guarded a Moorman's boutique Mea Pulle's boutique. I met the Arachchi at about 6.30 in the evening. Till about 8.0 p.m. I was in his company. I and several others looked after Mea Pulle's boutique. He came back the next morning. I gave him charge of his boutique.
Cross-examined: My village is about a mile from the scene of the riot, etc. Mea Pulle, affd.
I know the fifth accused. I met him on the 2nd of June last near my boutique. It is close by to his house. He told me about the riots. My boutique is in Palle- wella. He told me about the riots at about 4.0 or 4.15 p.m. He said there would be riots in my village. I asked him to watch my boutique if the rioters came that way, and I ran away.
I came back the next morning. My boutique was intact. I had no goods there. I had paddy and other things, but nothing for sale. Next morning when I came back the boutique was given in my charge and the things were safe.
Finding
KANDY NO. 2.-FIELD General Court MARTIAL. 26th-31st July, 1915.
Abeyesinghe Mudiyanselage Rattaranpotegedera Kiri Banda and seven others.
1 and 2. Treason, rioting, shopbreaking, riotously destroying a
building.
1. Committing an offence of a fraudulent nature.
Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Rioting, shopbreaking, and riotously destroy-
ing a building,
All prisoners guilty of all the charges, except No. 1 not guilty of second charge and No. 5 not guilty of all the charges.
Sentences:-
No. 1. Death.
No. 2. Death.
No. 3. Ten years' penal servitude.
No. 4.
Seven years' penal servitude.
No. 5.
No. 6.
Seven years penal servitude.
No. 7.
Seven years' penal servitude.
No. 8. Two years' imprisonment.
President Major A. E. Andrews, the Hampshire Regiment.
30th July, 1915.
COLIITTI
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CO. 882/10
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO|
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON |
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