(Lanka-e-News -10.Feb.2016, 7.20PM) ‘Lanka e news journalist Prageeth Ekneliyagoda was taken to the Girithale army camp, and from there after blindfoldiing him was taken to a jungle in Akkaraipattu and killed’, the CID told Homagama magistrate court on the 9th in connection with the cold blooded murder of Ekneliyagoda. The CID also revealed that they are now armed with evidence to substantiate this .
Ekneliyagoda was taken blindfolded to Girithale army camp on the 24 th of January 2010 by the first suspect Lieutenant Colonel , according to the evidence furnished by the authorized officer of the camp. The CID revealed further that evidence is now available that suspects , Lieutenant Colonel Arjuna Kumararatne ,Ravindra Rupasinghe and staff sergeant Kanishka Gunaratne were associated with the abduction . ASP Shani Abeysekera of the CID submitting a further report to court disclosed this information .
These three suspects have been produced as the first , fifth and seventh accused in the case , and at the time when they were abducting , based on the exchange of phone calls , there is evidence that the victim was taken from the Girithale camp to Akkaraipattu jungle , and these suspects have returned to the camp after two days.
When the Homagama magistrate Ranga Dissanayake inquired , whether there is evidence to file charges under section 296 in respect of Ekneliyagoda abduction and murder ? the above submissions were made in reply while submitting a further report .
The 7 suspects including Lieutenant Colonel Prabodha Siriwardena , staff sergeant Priyantha Kumara , retired army officer Priyantha Dilanjaya , Chaminda Kumara were produced in court amidst heavy security by the prisons authority.
When the team of lawyers including Anil De Silva PC appearing on behalf of the suspects made oral submissions, the magistrate instructed them to make written submissions .
Senior State Counsel Dileepa Peiris when making his submissions said , during these investigations certain State officers are subjecting the investigating officers to harassment , by claiming they do not remember anything in connection with Ekneliyagoda when giving evidence , the investigating officers are being driven into difficulties and disillusionment thereby , Dileepa Peiris lamented.
The State counsel went on to say , it is most rudely shocking that the lawyers for the accused who made an application for bail for the clients in the high court , when making submissions in this court are claiming there is no evidence to bear out the murder charges. It is very clear the lawyers are trying to take undue advantage in the magistrate court , he pointed out.
The magistrate after considering the reasons adduced by the aggrieved party ordered that the 7 suspects be remanded until the 26 th of February , while fixing the next hearing for that date
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by (2016-02-10 13:52:58)
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Very encouraging to hear that the truth comming out.Hope justice will be done.
-- by Joseph fernando on 2016-02-11
