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PUBLIC RECORD (OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882/10
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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Defence.
Second accused, Wagepedigedera Kiri Saduwa, afid.
I am the second accused in this case.
am vidane of Balana for about ten years. I remember the 30th May, Sunday. I went to Kadugannawa that day about 7.0 or 8.0 a.m.
Kadugannawa is three miles from the cart road. I went to get some deeds. I returned at about 12.0 noon. I reached the village at about 2.0 p.m. Then I heard that one of my cattle had fallen down the slope near the railway line. That was near the railway station, Balana. I went there. I attended to the animal. I removed it to a house near by. I attended to it from 3.0 to 4.0, and went to my village to bring some gingelly oil. I attended to the animal till 4.0, and went to the village to get some oil, and came back at about 4.30 or 5.0 p.m. Then I attended to the animal again. I left him about 6.0 or 7.0. The animal died after three days. I did not take part in the riots at Kadugannawa. I did nothing. The evidence which I' have heard against me is not true. I went to Kadugannawa the next day. I saw Mr. Woodman there. I spoke to him. He advised me to look after my village well. Nothing occurred there. There are only a few people there. In my village there are only twenty-eight males. In fact, I have supplied a census list to the Kach- cheri. I got a copy of it. Eighteen men out of these twenty-eight are employed in the railway, two are in an estate at Kotaligoda, and only ten are left in the village. Cross-examined: I am a man of some influence in the village. Pinto is angry with me about a money transaction. He wanted a loan about four or five months ago. I refused to give it. That is why I say that he is angry with me. Again, there was a rice-giving ceremony to a child. I did not go, though I was invited. I did not leave my village after 12.0 noon. I heard of the riots in Kandy on the 28th May. I never knew there will be disturbances in my village. I say that Pinto is at the back of the whole of this case as he is angry with me. Before the Special Com- missioner it is true that I made no allegation on Pinto. He asked me to make my statement here in the Court. The stationmaster of Balana is a witness of mine. Illandaripedigadera Appuwa, affd.
I live in Balana. I am one of the twenty-eight people who live there. This second accused is the vidane. I remember the 30th May, Sunday. A bull belong- ing to the vidane fell down through the slope near the railway station near Balana. I heard of it at about 4.30. I went there. I saw the second accused there, near the bull, attending to it. When I left that place it was dark. The accused went with
He went to his house.
DA
not.
Cross-examined: I do not know whether he went to Kadugannawa that day or He has an estate I do not work under him. I live in his village. He is my headman. I know the Peace Officer for many years. I have never known there is an ill-feeling between my headman and Pinto." In Balana there is a population of twenty-eight
N. Sinnaturai, stationmaster, Balana, affd.
I am stationmaster, Balana. I am a Tamil. I know the second accused, the Balana vidane. I remember the Sunday on which there were riots at Kadugannawa -30th May. I saw the second accused near the station at about 5.15. I did not
speak to him. I heard that something had happened to his animal. He was going to the Alagalla side, that is, away from Kadugannawa.
to
Cross-examined: I don't know his house. I did not know where he was going I have known him for a long time. I don't know the Peace Officer. I have never been to the village. I saw the man at 5.15.
Re-examined: He was going the same direction where I heard his animal had
fallen.
Third accused, Pandikaragedera Ukkuwa, affd.
I am vidane of Mamaduwela. I have been vidane for about five years. I am still vidane. I went to Kadugannawa on the 30th at about 7.0 or 8.0 a.m. I had a ceremony, and went to buy provisions, and returned at about 9.0 or 10.0 to my house. The devil-dancing ceremony was on that day. A fortnight before that I was suf- fering from dysentery. I had a vow about it, according to our religion. In further- ance of that vow I had to do that ceremony. The devil-dancing commenced at about 5.30 or 6.0, and went on till 6.0 in the next morning. I returned from Kadugannawa and remained in house till 6.0 in the next morning. The evidence against me, I say, is false. My village is two-and-a-half miles from Kadugannawa. I know Re Garret, etc.
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Cross-examined: I am a Buddhist. I heard of the riots at Kandy on the 28th May I knew that on the 29th. The information was all over the place. On the 30th, morning, I knew well about it. When I went to Kadugannawa there was a fair. There was no talk about these riots, so far as I know. I did not expect there would be any disturbance in Kadugannawa that night. I came to know that thousands of people entered Kadugannawa on the next day. They came from about five miles. I know Peace Officer Pinto. I know him for many years. He is angry with me.
He asked me to do several duties. I could not do them. In 1913 also, he complained to the Government Agent about me. The Tambies are giving these evidence against me at the instigation of the Peace Officer.
Miss Jocelyn, sworn.
I live in Kandy. I am a missionary of the Kandy Church Mission Society. I know Mamaduwela vidane (third). I saw him last February. I have seen him three times since. I know that Rev. Mr. Garret and other missionary ladies have known him. From what I know of him, and from what I have heard of him, he bears a good character.
Cross-examined: As far as I know I have seen him in his village. I have been twice to his house. I do not know what he does there. Kandewattegedera Ukkuwa Yakdessa, affd.
I live in Mamaduwela. I am a devil dancer. I know of a devil-dancing cere- mony at Mamaduwela vidane's on the 30th May. I was the chief of that ceremony. I went there on Sunday at 12.0 noon. I remained there till the next morning. The third accused was with me from 12.0 o'clock in the noon till next morning. He was helping me. The devil-dancing ceremony was done on his own account.
Cross-examined: He was ill a fortnight ago. He was well from three days before the ceremony. I heard of the riots at Kandy. We knew all about it by Sunday morning.
Fourth accused, Hendeniyagedera Dingiriya, affd.
I am the vidane of Lagomuwa. I have been vidane for twenty-seven years. The Government had no reason to complain against me. On the 30th May last I went to Kadugannawa to buy provisions. I bought the provisions and returned at about 12.0 or 12.30 p.m. I remained in my house. Mohamadu Lebbe came to house
my and asked me to protect his boutique, which is about half a mile from my village. I went there, and reached that place at 7.30 p.m., and remained there till 4.0 a.m. The following morning, 31st, I went to Kadugannawa and saw Mr. Woodman there. Pinto was there, and there were Moormen. No complaint was made to Mr. Wood- man against me. Pinto is angry with me. He charged one of my children in a field case about four or five years ago. The case was heard in the District Court, and it was dismissed. I
gave a list of witnesses; all are Moormen. They will give evidence for me. I know Badur Deen, of Kandy. He came to my village on the 30th and desired me to guard his bungalow. I did so. Moors there trust me.
Cross-examined: Moors of Kadugannawa are not angry with me. There is no reason for any of these Tambies to charge me falsely. They have given false evidence at the instigation of the Peace Officer.
Mohammadu Lebbe, affd.
Trader. I live at Lagomuwa. I know the fourth accused. I saw the vidane
We were inside our house.
He came in the evening of the 30th at about 10.0 p.m. and spoke to us. He came there from somewhere. He was not watching our boutiques. I am a Mohammedan. Sinhalese looted Moorish boutiques. Lagomuwa is a mile from Kadugannawa.
Mohideen Lebbe, affd.
I know the fourth accused. On the 30th May he came there at about 10.30, night, with some twelve people. We were afraid at the time, and we left the houses and ran away. When we were returning from the jungle we saw him there. When we returned from the jungle we did not find any of our boutiques looted.
Cross-examined: N. Q.
•
Fifth accused, Ambegodagedera Kuda Duraya, affd.
I am the vidane of Rabbegamuwa for about ten or eleven years. I have four boutiques in Kadugannawa, occupied by Moors and Sinhalese. I go there at the beginning and end of a month. When I went there on the 30th I found one house