The three-judge bench of the Colombo High Court announced that the verdict in the case filed against former Police Narcotics Bureau Inspector Neomal Rangajeewa and former Prison Superintendent Emil Ranjan Lamahewa, who were accused of killing a group of prisoners while trying to quell the clashes at Welikada Prison in 2012, will be announced on January 6.

The case was heard for more than three years by a three-judge bench comprising Gihan Kulatunga, Pradeep Hettiarachchi and Manjula Tilakaratne.

The court pronounced the decision after concluding the submissions made by the defendant and the plaintiff in the case.

The bench said that due to the complexity of the evidence presented at the trial, it would take time to study the matter extensively and pronounce its verdict.

On November 9, 2012, STF personnel entered the Welikada Prison and launched an operation to seize illegal and prohibited items in the possession of the inmates.

The Attorney General has filed a case against the two accused alleging that eight prisoners were killed in the clashes.