(UTV | COLOMBO) – Four out of the eight defendants charged in the case over the illegal possession of five elephants were acquitted and released today (21).
The four individuals were acquitted by the Special High Court Trial- at- Bar when the case was taken up for hearing this morning.
The Attorney General filed indictments against elephant trafficking kingpin Samarappulige Niraj Roshan alias ‘Ali Roshan’ and seven others for unlawful possession of five elephants valued at Rs.30 million.
The eight suspects, including Ali Roshan, were arrested for the possession without valid permits and racketeering of 5 elephant calves between June 2012 – August 2015.
The suspects have been charged with 36 counts of possessing public property.