The North Central Province Predecessor High Court Judge and incumbent Kuliyapitiya High Court Judge, Manoj Thalgodapitiya, has ordered the acquittal of two defendants indicted before the Anuradhapura High Court for a murder that took place in Rajanganaya 27 years ago.

The defendants, identified as Dadigamage Premasiri alias “Ukkuwa” and K. Wasantha Kumar alias “K. Wasantha,” both residents of Rajanganaya, were acquitted due to insufficient evidence presented by the prosecution.Â

The High Court Judge ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove the allegations against the defendants beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case, which dates back to October 29, 1997, was initially brought to the Anuradhapura High Court under Section 296 of the Sri Lanka Penal Code Ordinance by the Attorney General, accusing the two defendants of committing the offense within the Anuradhapura HC’s jurisdiction.