Sanjaya Wilson Jayasekera · @sanjayawilson
15th Dec 2021 from TwitLonger
Poet and Ahnaf Ahnaf Jazeem granted bail
The High Court case against poet and teacher #AhnafJazeem was taken up today (15 December 2021).
On behalf of Ahnaf Jazeem Counsel Mr. Ramalingam Ranjan, attorney-at-Law, made an application to the Court for bail for Ahnaf and submitted to court the Supreme Court FR proceedings dated 08 December, which had recorded that AG is not objecting for bail on the 15th.
In reply, the State Counsel informed court that the AG consents to bail being granted to Ahnaf.
Thus, the High Court granted bail to Ahnaf on the following main conditions: three sureties of Rs.500,000/- each; The sureties should be from the Puttalam High Court division; Ahnaf should report to TID-Puttalam office between 9am to 12am on first and last Sunday of each month; Ahnaf should report to Court on each day the case is taken up; No interference should be made with the witnesses of the case; if any change of permanent address the same should be informed to Court. Court ordered Immigration and Department not to issue a passport for him, who had to give an affidavit saying he doesn't posses a passport, which he did today. Court also ordered Registrar of HC to call the original brief of the connected Magistrate Court case No. B 44230/20.
The court ordered Ahnaf to be released when three sureties are produced. Sureties were duly produced today around 2pm.
However, Ahnaf was not released today by officials of the Colombo Remand Prison because they wanted a confirmation from the High Court Registrar that the High Court is connected to the Colombo Magistrate Court case against Ahnaf, which had been concluded on the 26th October. However, the Registrar of HC refused to do that because the Magistrate Court original brief was not available with the High Court indictment docket!
Around 4.20pm, HC registry issued a copy of today's proceedings, which was applied today when the case was taken up.
Thus, Ahnaf was not released from prison today on technical issues raised by Prisons officials. They are supposed to release Ahnaf immediately because there is no Magistrate Court against him, which they said they are unaware of, and as the HC has granted bail. So, they are supposed to get a confirmation form Colombo Magistrate Court (No.08)tomorrow whether Ahnaf is needed for that matter.
Lawyers for Ahnaf will file a motion tomorrow and get the Magistrate Court case called tomorrow to ensure his release tomorrow(16)
Mr. Ranjan Rajan Mr. Sanjaya Wilson Jayasekera, Mr. Nuhman, Miss Swasthika Arulingam, Mr. A. Sajjath & Mr . Husni Razim, Attorneys-at-Law appeared for Ahnaf today in Courts. State Counsel, Mr. Udara Karunathilake, Attorney-at-law, appeared for Hon. Attorney General
#freeahnaf