SriLanka, July 18 -- The Court of Appeal has ordered the release on bail of a man who spent nearly 15 years in remand custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), holding that the extraordinary delay in bringing his case to conclusion constituted an exceptional circumstance justifying his release.

The Court observed that prolonged pre-trial detention should not amount to punishment before conviction and stressed that the presumption of innocence remains a cornerstone of criminal justice.

The judgement, delivered by Justice Pradeep Hettiarachchi with Justice P.Kumararatnam concurring, overturned a Colombo High Court order refusing bail to the third accused, Thambiah Prakash alias Dhanush, in a long-pending terrorism prosecution....