‘Gafoor Mama’ jailed for 12 years over Wanathavilluwa explosives case

The Colombo Special Trial-at-Bar on Wednesday (28) sentenced Mohamed Shareef Adam Lebbe, alias “Gafoor Mama”, to 12 years’ rigorous imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to five charges in the Wanathavilluwa explosives case.

The case relates to the stockpiling of explosives and other prohibited materials on a property at Lactowatta in Wanathavilluwa.

The three-judge bench comprising Lal Ranasinghe Bandara, Rashmi Singappuli and Naomi Wickramasinghe imposed 12-year sentences on each of the five charges. As the sentences will run concurrently, the total prison term is 12 years.

The court also ordered that the seven and a half years the 63-year-old defendant has already spent in remand custody and under detention orders be deducted from the sentence. He is therefore expected to serve a further period of about four and a half years.

The judges said the sentence took into account his guilty plea, which avoided prolonging the trial, his age and other exceptional circumstances.

Meanwhile, the sixth accused in the case, Mohamed Rameez Mohamed Sajith, alias “Sajith Moulavi”, sought time to inform court whether he too intended to plead guilty.

The case will be called again at 8 a.m. on Thursday to ascertain his position. The Prison Superintendent was ordered to produce him before court by 7.45 a.m.

The court also directed that special security be provided when Gafoor Mama is produced before the Kegalle and Batticaloa High Courts, where two other cases against him are pending.

The Attorney General had indicted six defendants on 13 charges in the Wanathavilluwa case. Five of the accused have now pleaded guilty and been sentenced, according to submissions made in court.