Wanathawilluwa explosives case

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Details

Court: Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar, three judges
Concerns: Explosives and other prohibited materials stockpiled on a property in the Lacto Watta area of Wanathawilluwa, Puttalam, in 2019
Status: Two defendants pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment each on 7 October 2026; four others had already been sentenced after conviction in the main Easter attacks trial, according to Sri Lanka Brief. On 26 October 2026 Mohamed Naufar and a co-defendant were sentenced to an effective 12 years’ rigorous imprisonment each after pleading guilty to four charges; on 28 October 2026 the third accused, ‘Gafoor Mama’, was sentenced to 12 years, and the sixth accused, Mohamed Rameez Mohamed Sajith, alias ‘Sajith Moulavi’, asked for time to state his plea, with the case to be called again on 29 October
Appears on: Easter attacks

Connections (5)

Zahran Hashim / Indicted in, April 2021 / Wanathawilluwa explosives caseAllegation
- The Attorney General filed indictments on 28 April 2021 in the Puttalam High Court on 14 charges, including collecting explosives and maintaining an explosives manufacturing factory. The report names Zahran Hashim among those indicted and describes him as one of the suicide bombers.29 Apr 2021 · Ada Derana · Indictments filed against accused in Wanathawilluwa explosives case
Abu Hanifa Mohamed Musif / Pleaded guilty and sentenced to 10 years in / Wanathawilluwa explosives case
- Two defendants pleaded guilty to charges over stockpiling explosives and other prohibited materials in Wanathawilluwa in 2019 and were sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment each by a three-judge Colombo High Court bench.7 Oct 2026 · Ada Derana · Duo sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment over Wanathawilluwa explosives case
- Names the two as Abu Hanifa Mohamed Musif and Amir Hamza Mohamed Hamas. Time already spent in remand and prison was deducted from the sentences. They had told the court on 2 October 2026 that they would accept the charges.7 Oct 2026 · Sri Lanka Brief · Two jailed for 10 years over Wanathavilluwa explosives cache linked to Zahran Hashim of Easter Sunday attacks
Amir Hamza Mohamed Hamas / Pleaded guilty and sentenced to 10 years in / Wanathawilluwa explosives case
- Two defendants pleaded guilty to charges over stockpiling explosives and other prohibited materials in Wanathawilluwa in 2019 and were sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment each by a three-judge Colombo High Court bench.7 Oct 2026 · Ada Derana · Duo sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment over Wanathawilluwa explosives case
- Names the two as Abu Hanifa Mohamed Musif and Amir Hamza Mohamed Hamas. Time already spent in remand and prison was deducted from the sentences. They had told the court on 2 October 2026 that they would accept the charges.7 Oct 2026 · Sri Lanka Brief · Two jailed for 10 years over Wanathavilluwa explosives cache linked to Zahran Hashim of Easter Sunday attacks
Mohamed Naufar / Pleaded guilty and sentenced to 12 years in / Wanathawilluwa explosives case
- The Colombo Special Trial-at-Bar found Naufar Maulavi and co-defendant Mohamed Ibrahim Saadiq guilty after they pleaded guilty to four charges (numbers 1, 2, 8 and 9 of the indictment) over the illegal possession of a firearm, live ammunition, detonators and other materials used to make explosives. Each was given sentences totalling 48 years, to run concurrently, for an effective 12 years’ rigorous imprisonment.26 Oct 2026 · Ada Derana · Naufer Moulavi sentenced to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment over Wanathawilluwa explosives case
- Calls him Nowfer Moulavi and says the charges concern collecting firearms and explosives at Lactowatte in Wanathavilluwa in 2018, alongside Zahran Hashim and others; the case entry, based on Ada Derana, gives the year as 2019. It notes he was sentenced to 220 years in September 2026 in the Easter Sunday attacks case.26 Oct 2026 · Newswire · Another 12-year prison sentence for Easter attacks convict Nowfer Moulavi
Mohamed Saribu Adham Lebbe / Pleaded guilty and sentenced to 12 years in / Wanathawilluwa explosives case
- Mohamed Shareef Adam Lebbe, known as ‘Gafoor Mama’, the third accused, was sentenced on 28 October 2026 by a three-judge Colombo Special High Court bench after pleading guilty to five charges. Each carried 12 years but the terms run concurrently, and seven and a half years spent in remand and under detention orders were deducted, leaving about four and a half years. The judges took into account his plea, his age of 63 and other special circumstances. The court ordered special security when he is taken to the High Courts in Kegalle and Batticaloa, where two other cases are pending.28 Oct 2026 · Ada Derana · ‘Gafoor Mama’ sentenced to 12 years in prison over explosives case
- Gives the same sentence and says the charges concern possessing and collecting explosives and other prohibited materials at Lactowatta, Wanathavilluwa. It spells his name Mohamed Shareef Adam Lebbe, while the Easter attacks trial reports on this map spell it Mohamed Saribu Adham Lebbe; both give the alias ‘Gafoor Mama’.28 Oct 2026 · Newswire · Wanathavilluwa explosives case: ‘Gafoor Mama’ sentenced to 12 years in prison