Court to rule on killing of Sri Lankan citizen today

• An anti-terrorism court is expected to rule on murder of Sri Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara.
• Prosecution and defence concluded their arguments.
• A total of 89 men have been indicted in murder case, of which nine are minors.

An anti-terrorism court in Lahore is expected to rule on the murder of the Sri Lankan factory manager on Monday.

Both the prosecution and the defence have concluded their arguments in the case that was heard on a daily basis. The statements of the investigation officers and eyewitnesses have also been recorded.

Last year, a brutal mob beat to death and set alight Priyantha Kumara, a 48-year-old Sri Lankan citizen and factory manager in Punjab’s city of Sialkot. The then prime minister Imran Khan had condemned the vigilante violence and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

During the trial, presided over by judge Natasha Naseem, the prosecution brought to court 46 eyewitnesses. Furthermore, it submitted as evidence the CCTV footage of 10 cameras installed at the site of the murder, as well as videos taken from the mobile phones of 55 accused men.

The investigation and trial were completed by a five-member team headed by public prosecutor Abdul Rauf Wattoo.

A total of 89 men have been indicted in the murder case, of which nine are minors.

Even today, one last hearing of the case will be conducted, after which it is expected that the judgment will be read out.