108
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
LCO. 882/10
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE
BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH--NOT TO
Note.-The Court ob.
served that there had
baen a hole
Davudu Saibo.
198
I am a salesman in Ahamado Saibo's shop, next to the store. On the 30th May I closed the shop about 6.0 p.m. and remained downstairs. The crowd came and broke I also saw open the shop. The fifteenth accused broke open the shop with an axe. the first, seventh, sixth, and ninth accused. They ordered the people to break and loot. Then the fifteenth accused broke open the planks and the others entered, when I escaped. I returned the following morning and found the place looted and smashed. There was an iron safe in shop. It had been taken out when I went back next day.
Una Sinne Lebbe.
I am a salesman in Ahamado Saibo's shop, next to the store. On the 30th May, about 5.30 or 6.0 p.m., the first accused came to the shop. I complained to him about the crowds. He told me not to be afraid. When he left I closed the shop and went upstairs. I saw the first, sixth, ninth, seventh, and fifteenth accused, and a large recently, and armed crowd. There were bonfires in the street, and I saw these people from over adjoin upstairs. The fifteenth accused attacked the planks of the shop. I heard the first
accused ask the people to break. The boutique' was broken into.
in the roof
an secape
ing roofs of
premises in
THAT WAS
feasible.
Cross-examined: I escaped by opening the roof.
Jale Abdeen.
I am manager of Ahamed Saibo's shop in Gampola. On the 30th May, about 12.0 noon or 1 p.m., the seventh accused came to my shop. He said: "If you people allow us to take a procession in front of the mosque there will be no disturbance.' said: "I cannot do it of my own accord, I must consult others." He told me to con- sult others and go to the house of the first accused and tell him the result. I con- sulted another Moorman and went with him to the house of the first accused, and told him I could not come to any decision. Later, the Ratemahatmaya had a con- ference with me and other Moormen and the Roman Catholic priest in the Roman Catholic Church about 4.0 or 4.30 p.m. The seventh accused was there at the time. We came to no decision, and I left about 5.30 p.m. for my shop. I found crowds assembling near the junction, and, fearing a disturbance, I closed the shop. I heard stones being pelted at the shop. Davudu was downstairs, and Sinna Lebbe and two or three boys upstairs. I was upstairs and saw bonfires. There was a large armed crowd outside, and in it I saw the first, sixth, seventh, ninth, and fifteenth accused. I saw the fifteenth accused attack the planks of the shop with an axe.
The first, sixth, and seventh accused asked the people to break and loot the Moorish boutiques. The crowd then attacked my boutique. The first accused had a stick.
I escaped through the roof. I returned the following morning and found things looted and burnt. I had an iron safe, which I found broken open. The contents, title-deeds, promissory notes, and account books were taken. Among the promissory notes was one from the first accused. of the value of Rs. 6,000, one from the second accused, Rs. 4,000. The third accused owed me Rs. 100 odd, and the account was in the books. The tenth accused owed me Rs. 2,000 on notes. All these were gone. was a dispute between sixth accused and my firm over a boundary wall. Mahamad Abdul Cader.
There
I am manager of Assen Ali's boutique in Gampola opposite the house of the first accused. On the 30th May I was in my boutique. "Crowds assembled at the junction and came to the boutique about 7.0 or 8.0 p.m. I saw the first, second, third, sixth, seventh, and ninth accused. They were in the crowd of fifty or sixty Sinhalese. All these accused, first, second, third, sixth, seventh, ninth, had sticks. They ordered the people to break. The crowd then broke into my boutique, when I ran away by the back door. I returned the following morning and found everything had been looted.
Seena Samsudeen.
I am a Malay, and live in Kandy Road, Gampola, a little beyond the junction. On the 30th May I saw a crowd attack Moorish shops and boutiques at the junction. The crowd worked its way up and attacked my house. I saw the first, third, ninth, and eighth accused. The first accused had a stick. He asked the people to break. The third accused had a stick. I did not hear him say anything. I went and asked him not to do this and to help me. He said he could not. The eighth and ninth accused had sticks, and asked the people to break. The crowd sacked my house, and I ran away.
Seena Omardeen.
199
I am a brother of the last witness and live with him. On the 30th May a crowd The attacked our house. I made out the first, third, eighth, and ninth accused. first accused cried out "Why has this house not been broken yet?” The third, eighth, and ninth did not say anything. They had sticks. The crowd then broke into our house and looted it.
To President: I was with my brother in the verandah when the crowd came up. My brother spoke to all these four accused. He told: "I am not concerned in this." The eighth accused said: "Cannot help it: our friendship is to-morrow, to-day we must break your house."
Seena Samsudeen (recalled).
I appealed to these people when they came to my house. have no differences," and not to do any harm to me. "Friendship to-morrow, break now."
I told them :
"We
The eighth accused replied:
To President: He said it aloud. The others all replied.
Ana Muna Mohideen Coya.
I am a trader in Gampola. On the 30th May I was in Makati's house, next to I saw the third, eighth, the mosque. A crowd came there about 8.30 or 9.0 p.m. sixth, and tenth accused. The third had a stick. He directed people to break Makati's house. The sixth accused had a stick. He said: “Pull out Makati, and break the house.' The eighth had a stick and the tenth a club. Both struck me. The tenth accused said: "The house must be set fire to.' Then I ran away. I came back the following morning and found the house pillaged. I ran out to the jungle at the back. When I gave evidence before Police Magistrate I said another man said: “Makati must be dragged out "—not sixth accused.
Mana Sena Seyadu Mohammadu, alias Makati.
I am a trader of Gampola. My house is next to the mosque, and my shop is near the junction. On the 30th May I was in my house. There was a crowd damaging Moorish shops and boutiques. They came to my house between 8.30 and 9.0 p.m. saw the eighth, third, sixth, and tenth accused. The third accused had a club. I did not hear him say anything. The sixth accused had a club. He was talking. The eighth accused had a stick. He was talking loud. The tenth accused had a club. They were talking. Then the crowd broke into my house. I ran away, and came later and saw the place looted. I then saw the eighth accused alone between the mosque and my house. I pointed him out to the Magistrate. My house was broken at 8.0, and the mosque about 11.0 p.m.
Naina Mohammadu.
I am manager of Makati's boutique at the junction. On the 30th May I was in the boutique. There was a large crowd at the junction and they began attacking Moorish shops and houses. They came to Makati's boutique. I saw the sixth, fourth, seventh, and tenth accused in a crowd of armed Sinhalese. The fourth, sixth, seventh, and tenth accused had sticks. They told the people to break Makati's boutique, and they broke and sacked the boutique. I then ran away by the back door. I know them very well.
Jamaldeen Samath.
I am a clerk under Mr. Jonklaas, Proctor, Gampola. On the 30th May I was out in the streets and saw the disturbance. I was present when the crowds were looting Savul Hamid's boutique opposite the tavern about 10.0 p.m. I saw the third accused. He discharged a gun into the air. He was with a big crowd, some of whom were armed. It was the crowd which looted the shop. I was in my house near the mosque about midnight when the Magistrate, and some constables passed. I saw the crowd attack the mosque. It was a Sinhalese crowd, about 200 or 300 in number, armed. I saw the eighth accused standing there doing nothing. I saw Makati's house attacked just before. I saw the thirteenth accused in that crowd. He was bringing things out of the house and putting them into a fire on the road. I removed my family to Police Sergeant Sandanayaka's, fearing an attack myself, being a Mohammedan. There were lanterns in Sinhalese and Tamil houses. Eighth accused came to my house and stayed some minutes left my house just before Magistrate came.
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