The case in Fort Magistrate Court, in which the CID has reported facts against Poet Ahnaf Jazeem who was arrested by TID and is under TID custody over purported Detention Orders issued under Prevention of Terrorism Act, was called today.
256 days after his unlawful detention lawyers appeared for him today and applied to make submissions for him, which the court allowed. However, when the case was taken up, the Prosecution, CID Officers were unavailable in the Court room, though they were present when the same matter was earlier called.
So, Counsel for the Poet were unable to make a full recorded submission in Court. Limited oral submissions were made that the detention order is unlawful and null and void and therefore the Poet should be released, which the Court said cannot be canvassed in Magistrates Court. It was also submitted that even under Detention Orders, the Poet should be produced before Court.
Since, the Prosecution was unavailable and the Court wished to listen to both Parties, the Counsel were asked to make the submissions when the Prosecution is available. The case is fixed already to be called on the 24 February.
However, it was communicated to the Court that an early motion will be filed with notice to CID to make submissions on behalf of the poet. Mr.A.A.M.Illiyas, Presidents’s Counsel appeared with Mr.Nanayakkara, Sanjaya Wilson Jayasekera, Swasthika Arulingam, Jayantha Dehiattage and Tharindu Rathnayaka, attorneys-at-Law for the Poet Ahnaf.