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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882/10
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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Court Martial held at Kandy 31st July, 1915.
THE accused :-
1. Koteandeniya Wasala Mudiyanselage Kiri Banda, Pallis Pattu
West Korle.
2. Ekanayaka
Arachchi.
Mudiyanselage Dingiri
Banda,
Rambukwelle
3. Amunugama Abeyesinghe Punchi Banda, Pallis Pattu Inquirer. 4. Nambukarawasam Appuwa Wadige James Appu.
5. Warnasuriya Patabendige Baronchi Appu.
6. Hikkadugamage Dionis Jayasekara.
7. David Benson Tennakoon, planter, Wewagama.
8. Ekanayaka Mudiyanselage Kalu Banda of Rambukwelle, alias
Tennekoongedera Kalu Banda.
Charges against the first, second, and third accused :—
1. Treason.
Charges against all the accused :—
2. Shopbreaking.
3. Shopbreaking.
4. Riotously damaging a building.
Ana Mohideen Bachcha, affd.
:
Tailor, Teldeniya. The fourth accused has a boutique almost opposite mine. On the 30th May I saw several people congregated at his boutique. There I saw all these accused except the first accused. The fourth accused, James Appu, also was there. They were talking together. This was at about 12.30 p.m. I saw the third accused coming out. James Appu handed him some flags. He distributed the flags to the crowds, saying: "The English Government is over; we are going to get Sinha- lese Government. So destroy the Moor boutiques." He asked the flags to be posted up in the Sinhalese houses. I was alarmed. I went to the police station, and presently I returned with the police sergeant. When I returned there was the crowd still. The fourth accused was in his boutique then, too. I saw the second, third, fifth, and sixth in the crowd on the road. Later, about 7.0 o'clock, I heard the crowd coming from the direction of the bridge. Some of them went towards the mosque. I heard
them attacking the mosque I saw the third accused coming towards the mosque
with a flag.
saw the first accused in the night in front of my boutique. He asked the people to go away---I don't know where to. I saw him in the crowd near the mosque. I did not see him do anything. I did not see the first accused say anything near the mosque. I saw him at about 6.0 or 6.30 p.m. He asked the people to go away. I did not hear him ordering the people to break the mosque.
Crown Counsel (to the witness): Why, you have told the Commissioner that you saw the first accused ordering the crowd to break the mosque, etc.!
Witness (continuing): In the crowd I saw all the others. The second accused came in the crowd. I saw the third accused with a flag. He went into Cader's boutique. I saw the fourth accused on the road in the crowd. He had something in his hand. He was directing the people. He was telling them to go to the boutiques, and then the crowd went into the boutiques of Ana Kana, etc.
I saw the fifth on the road in the crowd. Sixth accused was inside the boutique of Abdul Cader. He had a club. The seventh accused was there doing nothing. He was on the road in the crowd. Eighth accused was near my boutique. Ahamadu Meera Saibo, affd.
Trader, Teldeniya. On the 30th May I saw all these people coming to the fourth accused's house. First, second, third, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth were seen by me going inside that boutique. That was at about 12.0.
o'clock, noon. After a while I saw the third accused coming out with some flags and distributing them to the people, saying that "the English Government is over from to-day; to-morrow we are going to get the Sinhalese Government," and that the Moors should be driven away. A little while after a sergeant came.
About 9.0 o'clock a crowd came from the Kandy side. I heard the mosque being broken and several boutiques too. My boutique was broken. I saw the sixth come inside my boutique. He took away goods. I saw the first accused in the town at about 7.0 o'clock p.m.
He was in a crowd. This was before my boutique was looted. I saw the second accused at the same time in the crowd, which was armed. I did not notice
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any weapon in his hand. I saw the third in the crowd. He was asking people to collect to go and loot. I saw the fourth on the road. He also directed people. I saw the fifth also in the crowd. He was telling people to break boutiques, etc. Seventh was also there. He was telling the people to get together and break open
Eighth accused also was there. He also said the same thing. boutiques. Ahamadu Ali, affd.
Trader, Teldeniya. I am next door to the fourth accused's (James's) boutique. There they were On the 30th May I saw the first, second, and the rest there.
The third accused came out and distributed talking. That was at about 12.0 noon.
some flags to the crowd. He said: After this no English flag; there will be the Sinhalese flag, etc." At about 7.30 the crowd came from the other side of the bridge. I heard them damage the mosque and break the boutiques. I was inside my boutique. My boutique was broken and looted. I saw the third accused in the crowd He was in the verandah of my house. That was after the planks of my boutique were broken. He said: "There is no English flag; we have Sinhalese flag. Loot the boutiques." Fifth and sixth were also in the verandah. I did not notice the seventh and the eighth.
Mohammadu Meedeon, affd.
That night a
I am a salesman in the last witness's boutique. On the 30th May I saw people collect in the fourth accused's boutique. All these accused were there. The third came out with some flags and distributed them to the people, saying: "From to-day no English flag; we will have Sinhalese flag. Our people should not buy from the Moor boutiques." The sergeant came and dispersed the crowd. crowd came from the Kandy road. I heard them attacking the mosque and break- I was there ing Moorish boutiques. They broke open my boutique and looted it. with my master, Ahamadu. I saw the people coming in. First the third accused came in. He had a stick. He asked the people to loot. After that the fifth accused
Sixth accused was also there. came. I saw the fourth in the verandah. fourth and sixth were asking the people to loot. outside on the road.
Police Sergeant Cassim (42, Teldeniya), affd.
The
I saw the seventh and eighth
I am Police Sergeant 42, Teldeniya. On the 30th May Wesak celebrations were over. That day I met Bacha going to the police station, and went with him to Near James's boutique I saw the corner of the bazaar. I saw crowds in the street.
I saw the second and
the seventh accused. I saw the first on the road outside. third also there. Just before that I saw the eighth passing the police station. I got information about dispersed the crowd. I sent for the Rambukwelle Korala.
At about 7.0 o'clock a the distribution of flags by the second and third accused. large crowd came from the side of the bridge. There were about 600 men. They damaged the mosques and several boutiques. I identified only the third accused. Police Constable Sheriff, affd.
I am Police Constable, Teldeniya. I know James, the fourth accused. I went there on the 30th May. I was on duty. About 2.0 o'clock there was a small crowd there I saw the first accused there. I saw the seventh inside James's boutique. At about 3.30 I saw the second and third accused together. They were in the street Then the sergeant came. The third accused is a coroner; the knocking about. second an Arachchi. Later, at about 7.0 o'clock p.m., a big crowd came there. them attack the mosque and afterwards sack Moor boutiques. I saw the second and third accused at about 3.0 o'clock. They were saying that people should put up flags and lamps in houses. There was no festival. Wesak was over.
L. B., Rambukwelle Korala, affď.
I saw
The
I am Rambukwelle Korala. I assisted the police on the 30th May. At about 5.0 o'clock I was in the town. I know the eighth accused. I cannot remember seeing him in James's house. About 7.0 o'clock p.m. a big crowd came there. We tried to disperse and were assaulted. The first and the second accused did not assist us.
He refused to help us. Second accused is the Arachchi of the very town. Wesak festival was over by the 30th. There was no occasion for flags and lamps to In fact none of them be put up.
The third accused is an Inquirer into Deaths. tried to quell the riot. Accused four, five, and six are traders of Teldeniya. They are men of some influence. The seventh is a tobacco planter; eighth is a registrar.
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