IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTREPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA In the matter of an Appeal under and in terms of section 331 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act No. 15 of 1979, against the Conviction and Sentence imposed by the Hugh Court holden in the Judicial Zone of Colombo by its Judgement dated

26^thSeptember 2014.

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka CA Appeal No: 297-301/14 Complainant High Court of Colombo Vs.

Case No: HC 4027/07

1. Agampodi Gnanasiri De Soyza Jayatilleke

2. Ananda Wickramasinghe Ambepitiy:

3. Rasheed Mohammed Mursheed

4. Bakeer Mohammed Rifaaz

5. Mohammed Subair Fauzool Avami

6. Mohammed Moujool Ameer Irshad alias Mohammed Nazeer Cader

7. Nagoor Adumey Mohammed Nazmi alias Abdul Ibrahim

8. Mohammed Kamil Kuthubdeen

9. Abdul Wadood Mohammed Saafi alias Meera Saibu Liyakan Ali

10.Sinnaiah Subramanium

11.Salawdeen Mohammed Ashroff

12.Mohammed Cassim Mohammed Safeek

13.Mohammed Ismail Mohammed Rizwin

14.Sahadeen Abdulla accused And Now Between

5. Mohammed Subair Fauzool Avami

6. Mohammed Moujool Ameer Irshad alias Mohammed Nazeer Cader

8. Mohammed Kamil Kuthubdeen accused-appellants Vs.

Hon. Attorney General Attorney General’s Department, Colombo 12. Respondent Before: N. Bandula Karunarathna J. P/CA Sampath Abeykoon J.

R. Gurusinghe J.

Counsel: Mahendra Kumarasinghe, AAL with Ms. H.L. Dhammika Nishanthi, AAL and Navindu Kalansooriya, AAL for the 5^th accused-

appellant Rienzie Arsecularatne PC, with Eranga Yakandawala AAL, Punsisi Gamage AAL, Thilina Punchihewa AAL, Udara Muhandiramge AAL, Sasheen Arsekularatne AAL, Namal Karunarathna AAL, Thejitha Koralage AAL, Chamindri Arsecularatne, AAL for the 6th accused-appellant Mr. Zuhair, PC with Channa Bakmeewela, AAL, Udayanthi Senevirathna, AAL and Rizwan Uwais, AAL for the 7^th accused-

appellant Kapila Waidyaratne, PC and Niel Unamboowe, PC with Nipuna Jagodaarachchi, AAL, Akila Jayasundara, AAL and Asela Muthumudalige, AAL for the 8^th accused-appellant Shanil Kularatne, SDSG with Maheshika Silva, DSG for the State Written Submissions: By the 5th accused-appellant – 27.04.2021 By the 6^th accused-appellant – 10.10.2023 By the 7^th accused-appellant – 27.04.2021 and 02.03.2022 By the 8^th accused-appellant – 27.04.2021 By the Respondents – 20.10.2023 Argument on 27.03.2023, 30.03.2023, 03.05.2023, 24.05.2023, 25.05.2023, 26.06.2023,14.07.2023, 26.07.2023 and 26.09.2023 Judgement Delivered On: 13.12.2023.

N. Bandula Karunarathna J. P/CA The 3^rd, 5^th,6^th,7^th and 8^th accused-appellants (hereina indicted along with nine others before the High Court of Colombo in terms of, Offences Against Public Property Act No 12 of 1988 for commitÝng criminal misappropriation of nearly Rs. 4.0 billion of Treasury money.

The 14 accused persons are as follows;

(1) A Gnanasiri De Soiya Jayathilake (1 A)

(2) Ananda Wickramasinghe Ambebitiya (2 A)

(3) Rasheed Mohammed Murshid (3 A)

(4) Bakir Mohammed Rifaz (4 A)

(5) Mohammed Zuber Fouzul Awami (5 A)

(6) Mohommed Moudjood Ameer Irshad alias Mohammed Nazeer Carder (6 A)

(7) Nagoor Adumai Mohammed Thasmi alias Abdul Ibrahim (7 A)

(8) Mohammed Kameel Kuthubdeen (8 A)

(9) Abdul Wadood Mohammed Shafi alias Meera Zaibul .Liyakath Ali (9 A)

(10) Sinnaiyah Subramanium (10 A)

(11) Saloudeen Mohammed Ashroff (11 A)

(12) Mohammed Kazeem Mohammed Safeek (12 A)

(13) Mohammed 'smile Mohammed Rizween alias Sulaiman Lebbe Abdul Kareem (13 A)

(14) Sahabdeen Abdulla (14 A)

Attorney General presented an indictment dated 18.09.2007 containing several charges against the above-named accused persons.

The 1^st accused-appellant was indicted on 08.09.2007 together with thirteen other accused persons, before the High Court of Colombo, on thirty-four counts of aiding and abetÝng, conspiring and the commission of misappropriation of public funds, punishable in terms of section 386 of the Penal Code and section 5(1) of the Public Property Act (as amended).

The charges against the accused persons are as follows;

1. During the period of 15.11.2002 to 15