Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne was remanded until December 5 by Colombo Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake, in connection with allegations of harbouring former Navy Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi and abetting the abduction and forced disappearance of 11 youths in Colombo, yesterday.
The second suspect of the case, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne also appeared before court with his counsel.
ASP B.S. Thisera of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) told court that Admiral Wijegunaratne’s personal security officer had threatened the main witness of the case: Laksiri Amarasinghe.
The CID told court that the security officer had used a pistol to grip Laksiri. “This incident had taken place at the Navy Headquarters. A few hours later, Laksiri had lodged a complaint with Fort Police regarding the incident,” the CID added.
The Fort Police OIC said that officers had recorded statements from seven naval personnel. They also said that they had obtained CCTV footage from the Navy Headquarters.
Fort Police said that Navy officers had not allowed them to enter the Headquarters.
The CID said that they commenced an investigation regarding the matter. Inspector of Police (IP) Nishantha Silva of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had been transferred to the Negombo Division according to the instructions of Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, they added.
They told court that CID Deputy Inspector General Ravi Seneviratne had received a confidential letter signed by Inspector General of Police Pujitha Jayasundara.
According to the confidential letter, the IGP stated that Admiral Wijegunaratne informed him that IP Nishantha Silva was linked to the LTTE.
ASP Thisera further informed court that Seneviratne sent a reply letter stating that Silva had no connection to the LTTE.
President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne, appearing on behalf of Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, told court that his client wanted to give a statement.
The CID told court that they had summoned Admiral Wijegunratne to appear before the CID on November 27, to record a statement.
However, Admiral Wijegunaratne had failed to appear before the CID.
Attorney-at-Law Achala Seneviratne, appearing on behalf of the aggrieved party, informed court that Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne’s officers had attacked media personnel in front of the court.
Hettiarachchi Mudiyanselage Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, alias ‘Navy Sampath’, was arrested by the CID on August 13, 2018, in connection with the abduction, torture, extortion and murder of 11 persons between 2008 and 2009.
The magistrate ordered the CID to arrest Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne and produce him before court on two occasions. He fixed further inquires for December 5 after ordering the CID to record Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne’s statement.
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