TheNeedforAccountabilityinSriLanka’sCriminalJusticeSystemAGlanceatSevenEmblematicCases

CentreforPolicyAlternatives March2019

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TheNeedforAccountabilityinSriLanka’sCriminalJusticeSystem

AGlanceatSevenEmblematicCases

CentreforPolicyAlternatives(CPA)

March2019

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TheCentreforPolicyAlternatives(CPA)isanindependent,non-partisanorganisationthatfocusesprimarilyonissuesofgovernanceandconflictresolution.Formedin1996inthefirmbeliefthatthevitalcontributionofcivilsocietytothepublicpolicydebateisinneedofstrengthening,CPAiscommittedtoprogrammesofresearchandadvocacythroughwhichpublicpolicyiscritiqued,alternativesidentifiedanddisseminated.

6/5,LayardsRoad,Colombo5,SriLankaTel:+94112081384,+94112081385,+94112081386Fax:+94112081388Email:info@cpalanka.orgWeb:www.cpalanka.orgEmail:info@cpalanka.orgFacebook:www.facebook.com/cpaslTwitter:@cpasl

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Contents

Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................4

TrendsinEmblematicCases............................................................................................................................7

RecommendationsforStructuralandLegalReform.........................................................................10

GeneralRecommendations.......................................................................................................................10

RecommendationsforSpecificStakeholders...................................................................................11TheSevenEmblematicCases........................................................................................................................15

1.MurderofMylvaganamNimalarajan,2000..................................................................................152.‘TheTrincoFive’:MurderofFiveTamilStudents2006.........................................................173.ACFAidWorkers’Killing,2006..........................................................................................................234.‘TheMissingEleven’:TheAbductionsof11Youth,2008/09..............................................325.AbductionofKeithNoyahr,2008......................................................................................................406.MurderofLasanthaWickrematunge,2009..................................................................................457.DisappearanceofPrageethEknaligoda,2010.............................................................................56

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Introduction

BackgroundSuccessive governments have promised investigations after numerous instances ofhumanrightsviolationsinSriLanka,bothduringthewarandsubsequently.Despitethelong listofpromises, limited legalactionhasbeentakentoapprehend,prosecuteandholdallegedperpetratorstoaccount.Thefewcasesthathavewitnessedsomelegalactionhavedevolvedintolong,drawn-outinvestigations,afewarrestsandfewstepsaretakento indict and prosecute. Both the inability and the unwillingness to prosecuteperpetratorshashinderedprogresstowardsaccountabilityandultimatelycontributedtoacultureofimpunityinSriLanka.

Thelackofgenuineactionandtrustwithdomesticstructurestodeliveronjusticeledtothegrowingcallsforinternationalinvolvement,investigationsandaction,whichresultedin the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution 30/1 in 2015. TheResolution affirms a number of transitional justice commitments proposed by the SriLankangovernment,andonaccountabilityforpasthumanrightsviolationsinparticular,acommitmenttoestablishaspecialcounseltoinvestigateallegationsofviolationsandabuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law.1 Thiscommitment, reaffirmed again in UNHRC Resolution 34/1 in 2017, is welcome andnecessary. International involvement in truth and justice initiatives is not new in SriLanka–previousgovernmentshaveinitiatedmechanismsandappointedinternationalofficials,suchaswiththeInternationalIndependentGroupofEminentPersonsandtheAdvisoryCouncil,bothentitiesappointedbyPresidentMahindaRajapaksa.2

InMarch2019 theUNHRCwill takeupSriLankaandexamineprogressmadeon theimplementation of Resolutions30/1 and34/1. As seen in the past, there is generallyincreasedgovernmentactivityinimplementingcommitments,orrather,beingseentodoso,intheimmediateleaduptoUNHRCsessions.Thispatternhasbeenrepeatedthisyear,withincreasedmovementonseveralcommitmentssincethestartof2019.However,thegenuinenessofrushedprocesses in thismannermustalwaysbequestioned.3There isalso no known progress with the establishment of the accountability mechanism ascommittedtoin2015anditisyetunknownwhethertherewillbeanymovementonthisinthenearfuture.

1UnitedNationsHumanRightsCouncil,A/HRC/RES/30/1,(1October2015)availableat<availableat<https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/G15/220/93/PDF/G1522093.pdf?OpenElement>2Formoreinformation:CentreforPolicyAlternatives,Hybridvs.Domestic:Myths,RealitiesandOptionsforTransitionalJusticeinSriLanka,(January2016)availableat<availableat,<https://www.cpalanka.org/hybrid-vs-domestic-myths-realities-and-options-for-transitional-justice-in-sri-lanka/>3“AcresoflandusedasArmyfarmstobereleased”,(DailyMirror,30December2018)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/-acres-of-land-used-as-Army-farms-to-be-released-160448.html>;“Armyreleases1201acresoflandintheNorth”,(NewsFirst,21January2019)availableat<availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2019/01/21/army-releases-1201-acres-of-land-in-the-north/>

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Despite perceptions to the contrary, there is considerable public support foraccountability.InarecentsurveyconductedbySocialIndicator,thesurveyarmofCentreforPolicyAlternatives(CPA)49.3%oftheparticipantssaiditwasextremelynecessarythat redress for victims affected by civil unrest in the past is addressedwhile 22.5%believe that it is somewhat necessary to investigate into and hold the perpetratorsaccountablebeforethelaw.4Onthequestionofaccountability,asignificantmajorityofrespondentsfromalltheminoritycommunitieswereoftheopinionthatitisnecessarytoinvestigateandholdthoseaccountablebeforethelawwiththehighestsupportbeingamongtheMuslimcommunity(89.4%)followedbytheUpCountryTamilcommunity(87.4%) and Tamil community (86.2%). While 67% of the Sinhala community alsosupportedaccountability.Thesamesurveyindicatedthat72.4%ofSriLankansbelievethatitisimportanttoknowthe truth about alleged crimes against humanity committed by all parties during thethree-decade longconflict inSriLanka–whilst18.2%believe it isnot important.Thesupportforaccountabilityandtruth-seekingcomesatatimewhentheGovernmenthaspromisedbothbutmade limitedprogresswitheitherandundertakennoadvocacyonthem.

TheReportThisreportexaminessevenemblematiccasestoevaluatethelevelsofaccountabilityintheprosecutionofcasesofhumanrightsviolationswithinSriLanka’scriminal justicesystem. The report is structured in three parts. First, it establishes several recurrenttrendscausingsystemfailuresandexacerbatingthecultureofimpunityinSriLankathattheselectedcasesdemonstrate.Second, itmakesrecommendations forstructuralandlegalreformsinordertoaddressthesetrendstomultiplestakeholders.Thefinalpartofthereportisapresentationofthesevenselectedcasesanalysedindetail,layingoutthetimelinesoftheincidentsandtheinvestigationandprosecutionprocesses.

CPAnotesthatcaseswereselectedforthisreportbasedontheirhighprofileandfortheirengagementofthecriminaljusticesystem.Thereare,however,numerousinstancesofhumanrightsviolationswhichhave lowerprofilesandhavenotengagedthe criminaljusticesysteminanyway,notbeingsubjecttoevenpreliminaryinvestigations.Manyofthesecasesareinvariablyfromduringthewarandinvolve,thoughnotlimitedto,victimsfrom minority communities. As this report focuses on possible reforms within theexistingcriminaljusticesystem,however,ithasnecessarilyhadtoexaminecaseswhichhave engaged the system in some way, and involve a sufficiently wide range ofcircumstancestodemonstratedifferentdynamicswithinthesystem.

All the cases discussed in this report have undergone initial investigations but havestalled at different times due to different reasons. The cases also span a variety ofdifferingcircumstances:casesthathavegonethroughpreviousstateinvestigationsand

4CentreforPolicyAlternatives,ValuesandAttitudesSurveyon70YearsofIndependenceinSriLanka(February2019)availableat<availableat<https://www.cpalanka.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/70-Years-of-Independence-Survey-Report-Social-Indicator.pdf>

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state initiatives with international involvement (Trinco Five and ACF cases); casesinvolvingmediapersonnelinboththeNorthandSouthofSriLanka(NimalarajanandWickrematunge cases); cases where direct allegations have been made about theinvolvementofthearmedforces(TrincoFive,ACFandMissingElevencases);andcasesoccurringfollowingthewar(Eknaligodacase).

Whilstsomeprogresshasbeenmadewithsomeinvestigationsasaresultofearlyreformsintroducedbythepresentgovernment,CPAstressesthatmuchmoreisrequired.IntheabsenceofprogresswiththeaccountabilitymechanismascommittedtoinResolutions30/1and34/1,CPAurgesauthoritiestotakeimmediatestepswithregardtoinitiatingstructuralandlegalreformsnecessarytoaddresscasesofgravehumanrightsviolationswithinthecriminaljusticesystem.CPAalsonotesthatthecallforthesereformsisinnoway a message to delay action with commitments made in 30/1 and 34/1 and thatstructuralandlegalreformsproposedherecomplementotherrecommendationsCPAhasproposedinconnectionwith30/1and34/1.5

5CentreforPolicyAlternatives,“CPACallsontheGovernmentofSriLankatoUpholdCommitmentsonAccountabilityandSecuritySectorReform”,(January2019)availableat<https://www.cpalanka.org/cpa-calls-the-government-of-sri-lanka-to-uphold-commitments-on-accountability-and-security-sector-reform/>,CentreforPolicyAlternatives“HumanRightsCommitmentsmadebytheGovernmentofSriLankaandWaysForward”(February2018)availableat<https://www.cpalanka.org/human-rights-commitments-made-by-the-government-of-sri-lanka-and-ways-forward/>

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TrendsinEmblematicCasesThesevencasesexaminedinthisreporttounderstandsomeofthechallengesfacingthecriminaljusticesystemandareasforreformare:

1. MurderofMylvaganamNimalarajan,20002. ‘TrincoFive’:MurderofFiveTamilstudentsinTrincomalee,20063. ACFAidWorkers’Killing,20064. MissingEleven:TheAbductionsof11Youth,2008/095. AbductionofKeithNoyahr,20086. MurderofLasanthaWickrematunge,20097. DisappearanceofPrageethEknaligoda,2010

Eachofthesecasesarediscussedindetailinthereportfocusingontheinvestigationsandthestepstakenintermsofapprehendingallegedperpetrators.Whileeachofthesecaseshighlightsanumberofdifferentissues,CPAhasattemptedtoidentifythegeneraltrendsthatrequirefurtherattentionandrecommendbroadlythenecessarystructuralandlegalreformswhichwillbediscussedindetailinforthcomingCPAreports.

CultureofimpunityAclimateofimpunityarisesinanycountrywhenitbecomesthenormthatcriminalcasesarenotdealtwithinatimelyandeffectivemannerinaccordancewithdueprocess,andperpetrators are not held accountable. Over the years, Sri Lanka haswitnessed stateactorsateverylevelandotherscontributingtotheexistinginstitutionalisedimpunityinthecountry.CPAnotesthatsomeofthecasesdiscussedinthepresentreportareoveradecadeoldwithnoactiontakenintermsoffilingindictmentsforacriminaltrial.6CPAalso notes there are many other cases which are older with no steps taken to holdperpetrators accountable. A culture of impunity can be seen as an overarchingphenomenonwhichischaracterisedbythefollowingtrends.

LackofordelayswithprosecutionsTheallegedperpetratorsoftheemblematiccasesthathavebeenhighlightedinthereporthaveeitherneverbeenprosecutedorhaveseendelaysinprosecutionevenafteradecadeofthecrimebeingcommitted.7Whiletheabsencesofordelaysinprosecutionsarecausedby many underlying issues in the criminal justice system as a whole (and these arediscussedwitheachcase),someofthegeneralcausesthathavecontributedtothisarepoliticalinfluence,thebacklogofcasesinthejudiciary,anddelayscausedintheAttorneyGeneral’s Department.8 The Sectoral Oversight committee on Legal Affairs (anti-

6NoinformationispubliclyavailablewhetherindictmentshavebeenfiledinthecasessuchastheACFAidWorkers’Killingsorthe‘TrincoFive’Killings,andNimalarajanMylvaganamandLasanthaWickrematungemurders.7ThereisnopublicinformationavailableonprosecutionsincasessuchasNimalarajanMylvaganam,ACFAidWorkers’Killingsandthe‘TrincoFive’Cases.8DBSJeyaraj,“CIDCompletesInvestigationsinManyCasesbutNoActionTakenDuetoDelaysinAttorney-General’sDept”(16July2017)availableat<http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/54266>

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corruption)&Mediahasprovidedanumberof recommendations inorder toaddressthesedelays.9CPAhasalsointhepastmadespecificrecommendationswithreformingtheAttorneyGeneral’sDepartmentandreiteratetheseyetagaininthisreport.10

LackofindependentinvestigationsInsightsintotheinvestigationprocessintheexaminedemblematiccasesrevealthattheinvestigation bodies in Sri Lanka, including the Sri Lankan Police, the TerrorismInvestigationDepartment(TID)theandCriminalInvestigationDepartment(CID),haveinseveralinstancesbeeninfluencedorforcedtoderailcertaininvestigationsbypoliticalactorsorvariousinterestedparties.ThisisparticularlyevidentinthecasesofthemurderofWickrematungeandthedisappearanceofEknaligoda.Thissaid,CPAalsonotesthecourageous and persistent work of some of the investigators that have resulted inbreakthroughswith somecases.11Thesearewelcome,but the challenges facingmanyother cases raise serious concerns regarding the independence and credibility ofinvestigations.

DeficientvictimandwitnessprotectionAcommonthreadthatfollowsalmostallcasesisthefactthatthevictimsandwitnessesofthesecaseshavebeenintimidated,harassed,kidnappedandinsomeinstancesevenkilled.12AlthoughSriLankaatpresenthasenactedtheAssistancetoandProtectionofVictimsofCrimeandWitnessesAct,No.4of2015,therecontinuestobechallengesinitsimplementationandeffectiveness,andfurtheramendmentsarerequiredtoensure itsindependenceandimpartiality.13Asanexample,theActprovidesforVictimsofCrimeandWitnessesAssistanceandProtectionDivision,undertheInspectorGeneralofPolice.Under this scheme, the Division will continue to have links with the Police raisingquestions of independence. This is a fundamental flaw of this Act since consistent

9TheSectoralOversightcommitteeonLegalAffairs(anti-corruption)&Media,RecommendationsPertainingtotheExpeditiousandEfficientAdministrationofCriminalJustice,20September2017,availableat<https://www.parliament.lk/uploads/comreports/1510738363068517.pdf>10CentreforPolicyAlternatives,“WrittenSubmissionsbytheCentreforPolicyAlternativestotheSubcommitteeoftheConstitutionalAssemblyontheJudiciary”,2016,availableat<https://www.cpalanka.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/CPA-Submission-on-Judiciary-Final.pdf>11“PhonerecordsleadCIDbigarrestKeithNoyahrabduction”(SundayObserver,15April2018)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/04/15/news-feature/phone-records-lead-cid-big-arrest-keith-noyahr-abduction-case>;“AfterexplosiverevelationsinCourtinNavy11youthabductioncase:Familiesofmissingboyshopejusticeisfinallywithinreach”,(SundayObserver,2September2018)availableat<availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/09/03/news-features/after-explosive-revelations-court-navy-11-youth-abduction-case-families>12InthecasesoftheMissing11Youth,theTrincoFiveandtheACFAidWorkers’Killingstherehavebeenseveralinstanceswherewitnesseshavebeenthreatened.SandhyaEknaligodahasovertheyearsconsistentlyfaceddeaththreats.13CentreforPolicyAlternatives,TheNeedforaStrongVictimandWitnessAssistanceandProtectionMechanism,(2014)availableat<availableat<https://www.cpalanka.org/the-need-for-a-strong-victim-and-witness-assistance-and-protection-mechanism/>;VictimandWitnessprotection–theneedforfurtherreform(SouthAsianCentreforLegalStudies,2015)<http://sacls.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=143:victim-witness-protection-the-need-for-further-reform&Itemid=720>

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allegationsofvictimandwitnessintimidationhavebeenlevelledagainsttheSriLankanPoliceinthepast.

Evidencetampering,concealmentanddestructionItisobservedthatinanumberofcasesthatvariousdifferentactors,includingtheJudicialMedical Officer,14 Police15 and TID16 have played an active role in tampering with,concealinganddestroyingevidencethatisofvitalimportancefortheconclusionoftheinvestigationsandbringingtheperpetratorstojustice.Thishascontributedtothewiderissueofprolonged investigations resulting in thedelayofprosecutionsaswell as theinadmissibilityofevidenceresultingintheactiveterminationofprosecutions.

PoliticalinterferenceininvestigationinstitutionsWhilereformssuchasthe19thAmendmenttotheConstitutionhavesoughttoensuretheindependence of the judiciary and other institutions, political interference at aninstitutionallevelpersists.Suchattemptshavebeenmadebypoliticalactorsandotherparties to stall investigations at an institutional level (and not simply at the physicalinvestigation process level). For example, PresidentMaithripala Sirisena has publiclycriticisedtheCIDforattemptingtoconductinvestigations.17Inaddition,inearly2016attemptsweremadetotransfertheSeniorStateCounseloftheEknaligodacasewhowashighlypraisedforprosecutingperpetratorsofthecase.18Morerecently,attemptsweremadetotransferaprincipalinvestigatorwhohasmademanybreakthroughsinmajorcasessuchasthemurderofWickrematungeandthedisappearanceofEknaligoda.19

14“SriLankatoinvestigatecrookedjudicialmedicalofficers”(EconomyNext,22March2017)availableat<availableat<https://economynext.com/Sri_Lanka_to_investigate_crooked_judicial_medical_officers-3-7640.html>;“FirstautopsyreportonLasanthamurderissuedtomisleadprobe”(SundayLeader,13August2017)availableat<availableat<http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2017/08/13/first-autopsy-report-on-lasantha-murder-issued-to-mislead-probe/>15“LasanthamurderexDIGinvolvedinconcealingevidence”(DailyNews,16March2018)availableat<<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/03/16/local/145708/lasantha-murder-ex-dig-involved-concealing-evidence>16“SriLankapolicecoverupinLasanthaemergeafterkeyarrests”(EconomyNext,22February2018)availableat<availableat<https://economynext.com/Sri_Lanka_police_cover_up_in_Lasantha_murder_emerge_after_key_arrest-3-9963-10.html>17“PrezperturbedoverCDSarrestmove”(DailyMirror,13September2018)availableat<availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Prez-perturbed-over-CDS-arrest-move-155462.html>18“Confusionover“transfer”ofSeniorStateCounselonEknaligodacase”(DailyFT,9February2016)availableat<availableat<http://www.ft.lk/article/524035/Confusion-over-%E2%80%9Ctransfer%E2%80%9D-of-Senior-State-Counsel-on-Eknaligoda-case>19“CID’sIPNishanthaSilvatransferred”(DailyMirror,19November2018)availableat<availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/CID-s-IP-Nishantha-Silva-transferred-158572.html>

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RecommendationsforStructuralandLegalReformInorder toaddress the challengeshighlighted in this report andbreak the cultureofentrenched impunity,decisive immediateactionand long-termstructuralreformsareneeded to be undertaken by multiple stakeholders. These stakeholders include thegovernment,theAttorneyGeneral’sDepartment,judiciary,civilsocietyorganisationsandinternational actors. CPA provides the following broad recommendations forconsideration, which will be looked into in more detail in forthcoming CPA reportsfocusingoncriminaljusticereforms.

GeneralRecommendationsStructural

• Strengthen parliamentary oversight over all intelligence and law and orderdepartments and officials, with regular reporting on and monitoring of theiractivities.

• ProvideforacomprehensiveandeffectiveVictimandWitnessProtectionRegimeandensurethewitnessesandvictimsofthesecrimesdonotfaceintimidationandthreats.

• ProvideforanindependentPublicProsecutor’sOfficeforcredibleandimpartialinvestigationsandprosecutions.

Legislative20• Review vital laws such as the Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act, Evidence

Ordinance,andPoliceOrdinanceandintroducenecessaryreforms.• Review and introduce necessary reforms to the Penal Code and the Criminal

ProcedureCodethatincorporatespecificcrimessuchasinternationalcrimesandaddressesproceduralgaps.

• Ensurethattheremunerationandworkingconditionsofjudgesareadequateandthatstandardsofprofessionalconductandjudicialethicsarereinforced.21

• CreateanecessaryframeworktosetupanindependentPublicProsecutor’sOffice.• Activemeasures shouldbe taken topreventandcombat corruptionwithin the

investigationbodiesandsafeguardinvestigatorsagainstcorruption.22

20ThesereformswillbelookedintoindetailinforthcomingCPAreports.21Seethe2001OpinionNo.1oftheCCJE(ConsultativeCouncilofEuropeanJudges),availableat<https://rm.coe.int/1680747830>;UNBasicPrinciplesontheIndependenceoftheJudiciary,availableat<https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/independencejudiciary.aspx>22GroupofStatesAgainstCorruption,CorruptionPrevention–MembersofParliament,JudgesandProsecutors–ConclusionandTrends,(2017,4thEvaluationRound)<https://rm.coe.int/corruption-prevention-members-of-parliament-judges-and-prosecutors-con/16807638e7>

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RecommendationsforSpecificStakeholdersFortheAttorneyGeneral’sDepartment

• Take immediate actions to reviewpast casesandmakenecessarymeasures toindictandprosecutetheperpetratorsinvolved.

• Conduct specialised training programs for officials of the Attorney General’sDepartmentandothersregardingtheprosecutionofcasesofgravehumanrightsviolations and ensure an environment is created inwhich officials are able toprosecutethemwithoutanypoliticalinterference.

• Issue clear and comprehensive guidelines in the three languages for theinvestigationandtheprosecutionofcasesongravehumanrightsviolationsbasedoninternationalstandards.

• UndertakeareviewtounderstandthedelaysinfilingindictmentsandprosecutingcaseswithimmediateactiontakentobuildcapacityandraiseawarenessamongofficialsintheDepartment,recruitanyadditionalstaffandintroduceanyotherreforms to ensure there is accountability for the cases before the respectivecounselintheDepartment.

• Continue the implementation of structural reforms identified by the SectoralOversightCommitteeonLegalAffairs(Anti-Corruption)&Media.23

• Maintainadatabaseofthecasesofgravehumanrightsviolationsinordertotracktheirprogresseffectively.

• Implement an effective case management system and maintain proper filingstandardswithinthedepartment.

• Internal rules and code of conduct should be put in placewithin theAttorneyGeneral’sDepartmentinordertodevelopacultureofopennessandtransparencywhilst ensuring confidentiality in respect of cases under investigation orprosecutionundereachprosecutor.

• Ensure that individualprosecutorsarenotsubject toundueor illegalpressurefromoutsideorwithintheprosecutionserviceandthattheprosecutionserviceisgovernedbytheruleoflaw.24

23TheSectoralOversightcommitteeonLegalAffairs(anti-corruption)&Media,RecommendationsPertainingtotheExpeditiousandEfficientAdministrationofCriminalJustice,20September2017,availableat<https://www.parliament.lk/uploads/comreports/1510738363068517.pdf>24CriminalJusticeStandardsfortheProsecutionFunction(AmericanBarAssociation,13February2015)availableat<https://www.americanbar.org/groups/criminal_justice/standards/ProsecutionFunctionFourthEdition/>

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Fortheactorsinvolvedininvestigations(Police,CIDandTID)

• Introduce structural reforms to be able to conduct professional, impartial andindependent investigations without being subjected to political or otherinfluences.25

• Maintain transparent procedures in retrieving, copying, and storing evidencerelatedtothesecrimes,addressingparticulartamperingwithanddestructionofevidence.

• Maintainduecareinthehandlingandsharingofconfidentialinformationduringtheconductofinvestigations.

• Ensurethatinvestigationsareconductedpromptlyandvitalforensicevidenceiscollectedandstoredinkeepingwithinternationalstandards.

• MaintainadatabasecontainingevidencecollectedundereachcaseandensureitisaccessibletootheractorssuchasaParliamentaryoversightbodyortherelevantjudicialactors.

• Establishbettercoordinationbetween investigatorsandtheAttorneyGeneral’sDepartmentwithasystemestablishedtomonitortheprogressofinvestigations.

• Establish better coordination and cooperation between different investigativebodies.

• Monitor the progress of cases sent to the Attorney General’s Department topreventdelaysinfilingindictmentsandhaveasystemtocheckonprogressmadewithcasefiles

• ProvidePoliceOfficerswith thenecessary training to instituteanactionat theMagistrate’s Court (since the Police has prosecutorial powers before theMagistrates’Courtswheremostofthesecasesarefirsttakenup).

• ConducttrainingprogramsforInvestigationOfficersinareassuchascrimesceneinvestigations,victimandwitnessinterviewsandarrestingoffenders.

• Takemeasurestoensurethatallsuspectsaretreatedequallyirrespectiveofstatusorrankandrefrainfromspecialtreatmenttocertainsuspects.

FortheJudiciary• Conduct necessary training and awareness programs for Judicial Officers and

CourtStaffinhandlinganddecidingcasesofthisnature.• Take every possiblemeasure to uphold the integrity and independence of the

Judiciarybytakingnecessarylegalactionagainstpersonsattemptingtoinfluencethejudiciary.

25ThesereformswillbediscussedintoindetailinforthcomingCPAreports.

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• Take a strict stand in preventing delays by defence counsels, the AttorneyGeneral’s Department and investigative authorities. This should also includeconductingday-to-daytrials.

• Makenecessary arrangements to create a conducive court environmentwherevictimsandaffectedpartiesareabletoparticipatewiththenecessaryprotectionandwithoutfearofpersecutionorretribution.

Forcivilsocietyactors• Follow up on these emblematic cases and other cases of grave human rights

violations,requestingfromrelevantauthorities’furtherinformationincludinganyactiontakenandreasonsfordelays/inaction.

• Monitor cases that are being prosecuted and raise issues with the relevantauthorities if there is cause for concern with delays, interference, victim andwitnessprotectionandotherissues.

• Useexistingaccountabilitytools,suchastheRTIActandcomplaintstotheHumanRightsCommissionofSriLanka,toapplypressureonauthoritiestoinitiateandspeedupactiononcasesofgravehumanrightsviolations.

• Conductawarenessprogramsandotherinitiativestoeducatethegeneralpublicon casesof gravehumanrightsviolationsand theneed foraccountability, andgeneratepublicpressurefornecessaryaction.

• Provideassistancetovictimsandwitnessesofthesecases,suchaslegaladvice,counsellingandfinancialassistance.

• Advocate forandsupport investigations,prosecutions, judicialproceedingsandreportingongravehumanrightsviolationstobeconductedinallthreelanguages.

Forpoliticalleaders• Adopt and enforce ethical guidelines in relation to the conduct of their

representatives, particularly with respect to influencing and interfering withinvestigationsandjudicialproceedings.

• Preventattemptsbypartymemberstomisuse indictmentsandprogressof thecasesforpoliticalgain.

• Takestrictlegalactionagainstpartyofficialsandrepresentativeswhereevidencedemonstrates that they have attempted to interfere and meddle withinvestigations.

Fortheinternationalcommunity• RaisewiththeGovernmenttheneedtoaddresstheseemblematiccasesandother

casesof gravehumanrightsviolations ina timelyandeffectivemannerand inadherencetotheruleoflaw.

• Encourage the Government to introduce necessary structural and legislativereformsandprovidethenecessarytechnicalsupportandresources.

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• ProvidetheGovernment,lawyers,andcivilsocietywiththenecessarysupportandtechnicalexpertiseinaddressinglawsdelays,protectingtheintegrityofevidence,victimandwitnessprotection,forensicsandotherissues.

• CloselyscrutinisetheGovernmentatinternationalforaandholdtheGovernmenttoaccountonitsinternationallegalobligations.

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TheSevenEmblematicCasesTherestofthereportwillexaminethesevencasesanddiscusseachcaseaccordingtotheirdevelopmentswithinvestigationsandcourtproceedings.Asevidentinthereport,some investigations have stalled with no public information available whileinvestigationswithafewcasesareproceedingataslowpace.

1.MurderofMylvaganamNimalarajan,2000ManyTamiljournalistshavebeenabducted,madetodisappearandkilledoverthelastfewdecadesinthelineofduty.26Manyofthesecaseshavegoneunnoticedandhavenotseentheperpetratorsbroughttojustice.27Nimalarajan’scaseissymptomaticoftheSriLankan criminal justice system’s longstanding failure to act meaningfully on humanrightsviolationsperpetratedagainstTamilciviliansinparticular.

TheIncidentOn 19October 2000,MylvaganamNimalarajan, aged 38, awell-known journalist andfatherofthree,wasshotdeadinhisownhomeinJaffnathroughthewindowofhisroom.28Beforetheassailantsleft,theythrewtwogrenadeswhichseriouslyinjuredhismother,LilyMylvaganam,whowas58atthetime,andhisnephew,PrasannaJegathas,whowas11.His father, SangarapillaiMylvaganam,66,was also attackedwith a long knife andsufferedinjuries.29Nimalarajan'sthreechildren,allundertheageoffive,wereasleepinthe bedroom and unharmed.30 The killing took place during curfew hours in a high-securityzoneofJaffnawhichwasunderthecontroloftheSriLankangovernmentforcesatthetime.31

NimalarajanwastheJaffnacorrespondentfortheTamildailyVirakesari,theindependentTamilradiostationSooriyanFM,theSinhalapoliticalweeklyRavaya,andtheTamilandSinhala services of the BBC.32 Hewas also the Secretary of the Northern Journalists'Association.Nimalarajanwasknownforfearlesslyreportingtheintimidation,thuggeryandelectionmalpracticesduringOctober2000generalelectionsinJaffna.33Itiswidely

26CPJ,“19JournalistsKilledinSriLankabetween1992and2019”,availableat<https://cpj.org/data/killed/asia/srilanka/?status=Killed&motiveConfirmed%5B%5D=Confirmed&type%5B%5D=Journalist&cc_fips%5B%5D=CE&start_year=1992&end_year=2019&group_by=location>27Govtcensuredfordelayedinvestigations,(DailyFT,>)availableat<http://www.ft.lk/news/Govt--censured-for-delayed-investigations/56-670650>;“IPSJournalistsWhoPerishedintheLineofDuty”(SriLankaPressInstitute)availableat<http://www.slpi.lk/ips-journalists-who-perished-in-the-line-of-duty/>28FrancesHarrison,“Fouryears,Manydeaths:GoodByeSriLanka”,(BBC)availableat<https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/fooc.shtml>29Ibid.30Ibid.31Ibid.32FreeMediaMovementcondemnskillingofJournalist,(TheIsland2000)availableat<http://www.island.lk/2000/10/23/news11.html>33Ibid

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suspectedthataTamilpoliticalgroupwhichwasanallyofthethengovernmenthadbeeninvolvedinthejournalist'smurder.34

Abicycle foundnearthesceneof thecrimewassaidtobelongtothepro-governmentTamil party, the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), which Nimalarajan hadcriticisedinhisreportsonallegedelectionfraud.35FollowingtheOctober10election,Nimalarajanhadreportedlytoldcolleaguesthathefearedforhissafetyafterreceivingseveralthreats.36HehadalsonotedthattheEPDPheldhimresponsibleforfailingtowinvotesinJaffnaattheelection.37

InvestigationThe then President Chandrika Kumaratunga ordered an immediateinvestigation intoNimalarajan’s assassination.38However, there was wide criticism for the apparentunwillingnessonthepartoftheGovernmenttoshedlightonthecase.39Consequenttotheinvestigations10peopleweredetained,mostofthembeingEPDPcadres.40Yettherewerenochargesorindictmentsfiledagainstthesuspects.Twosuspects,DavidMichaelCollins and a certain Vishua, were released.41 However, their passports were notconfiscated,eventhoughpastEPDPcadreshadfledthecountry42.Bytheendof2002,noneofthesuspectshadbeenbroughttotrial.43Policehadnotsubmittedthetestresultsandcrucialpiecesofevidencefoundatthesceneofthemurder,includingfirearmstakenfrom the EPDP, fingerprints found on a bicycle near the scene of the murder, bulletcasings,andtheremainsofagrenade.44

Whilstitisunclearwhetherthecaseishaltedatpresent,theonlyavailablemediareportindicatesitwasstruckofftherollcallonthe20ofAugust2004bytheJaffnaMagistrateuntil theAttorneyGeneralsenthisdeterminationonthe findingsof theSpecialPoliceteam.45Nineteenyearslater,Nimalarajan’scaseremainsunresolved.46

34SriLankangovernmentallysuspectedinmurderofBBC’sJaffnacorrespondent(WorldSocialistWebsite,28October2000)availableat<SriLankangovernmentallysuspectedinmurderofBBC'sJaffnacorrespondent>35Ibid.36Ibid.37“Continuedimpunity:journalistkillingsunresolvedin2016”(Groundviews,11February2018)availableat<https://groundviews.org/2016/11/02/continued-impunity-journalist-killings-unresolved-in-2016>38Ibid39“AppealoverBBCjournalistkilling”,(BBC,19April2001)availableat<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1285760.stm>40“OpenlettertotheSriLankanPrimeMinister”(ReportersWithoutBorders,18October2002)availableat<https://rsf.org/en/news/open-letter-sri-lankan-prime-minister>41Ibid42ibid43Ibid.44Ibid.45Nimalarajanmurdercasestruckofffromtherollcall”,(Tamilnet,20August2004)availableat<https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=12703>46Continuedimpunity:journalistkillingsunresolvedin2016(Groundviews,11February2018)availableat<https://groundviews.org/2016/11/02/continued-impunity-journalist-killings-unresolved-in-2016/>

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2.‘TheTrincoFive’:MurderofFiveTamilStudents2006IntroductionOn 2 January 2006, five young Tamil university students were summarily executedallegedly by Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force (STF)whilst spending the afternoon at apopularlocationontheTrincomaleebeach,knownasDutchBay.47Allfivestudentswereaged20atthetimeoftheirdeath.Thecasereceivednationalandinternationalattentionandwasnamedasoneofthefour‘emblematiccases’ofthegovernment’sfailuretoensureaccountabilitybythethenUNHighCommissionerforHumanRights.48

Despite the change of government in 2015, no one has hitherto been tried or foundaccountableforthemurders,anditremainsasareminderof‘theprevalenceofimpunityand the long struggle for justice on the island’,49 as has been highlighted by variousinternationalfora.Thefollowingisabriefaccountoftheincidentandtheprogressofthecasetodate.

TheIncidentOn 02 January 2006, five Tamil university students were gunned down at theTrincomaleeDutchBayneartheMahatmaGandhistatue.Thefivevictimswere:50

1. ManoharanRagihar(born22September1985)2. YogarajahHemachchandra(born04March1985)3. LogitharajahRohan(born07April1985)4. ThangathuraiSivanantha(born06April1985)5. ShanmugarajahGajendran(born16September1985)

Accordingtoreports,thefivevictims,whowereallformerstudentsofKoneswaraHinduCollege,wereseatedonthestonebenchesfacingthesea,whenaround7.35p.m.agreenauto rickshawwas seen to drive in towardswhere the groupwere seated.51 A handgrenadewasthrownfromthesaidrickshawintothemidstofthegroup,afterwhichtherickshaw was seen to drive towards Fort Fredrick where the Sri Lanka ArmyHeadquartersisbased.52Atleastfivepersonswereinjuredintheexplosionthatoccurred.Eyewitnesses claim thatNavy personnel had, thereafter, closed off the exit and entrypointstothebeach,afterwhichamilitaryjeepcarrying10-15STFmembersenteredthelocation and started assaulting the studentswith their rifle butts. Afterwards, it wasreportedthatthegroupofstudentshadbeenforcedtoliefacedownontheroadandhadbeenshotinthehead.53

47UniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)SriLanka,OfficialSecretsandBlindJustice(SpecialReportNo.35,2010)availableat<http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport35.htm>48Ibid.49Ibid.50Ibid.51Ibid.52Ibid.53Ibid.

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However,twoothervictimssurvivedthemassacre.OnevictimYoganathanPoongulalonstated,54thatheranforabout10metressouthofthebeachwhenthegrenadefellandwasinjuredintheexplosion55.ThesurvivorPararajasinghamKokularaj,escapedbyfeigningdeathandclaimsthathesawoneofhisfriends,Rohan,beingshot,afterwhichhepassedout.56

Witnesses’AccountsOne of the main witnesses of the incident is Dr Kasippillai Manoharan, father ofManoharan Ragihar, one of the victims killed.57 He claimed to have first heard theexplosion,whichherealisedtobeabombblast.Hethereafterwenttowardsthebeachinsearchofhisson58.

Upon arrival, though, he was denied entry by three naval personnel, one of whominformed him in Sinhala that he was prohibited from entering.59 Although he triedarguingwithhimthathewasinsearchofhisson,hewastoldthattherewereorderstonotletanyonein.60DrManoharanclaimedthatduetothevisibilityatthetimehecouldnot spotanyunusual activity,but forabout50-75metreshe could spotonlymilitarypersonnelandnotcivilians,whoweremovingamongstthevehicles.61HealsonotedthatthelightswhichnormallyilluminatedtheGandhistatuehad‘unusually’beenswitchedoff62.Despitethepoorvisibility,however,DrManoharanstatedthathesawonemilitaryvehicle thatstoodout,agreyunmarkedpickupvehicle,whichhadbeenparkeda fewmetersaway,whichwasobservingtheeventsthatwereunfolding63.Insidesaidvehiclesat the then Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in charge of Trincomalee KapilaJayaseker64.

In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, parents of the other students, too, hadreachedthesite.MrPonnathuraiYogarajah,thefatherofYogarajahHemachchandra,issaid to have beenmanhandled by the security forces65.Hewas ordered to lie on theground, face downwards, and was thereafter beaten by ‘masked men’66 surmised tobelongtotheSTF.67Heclaimedtohaveseenaround20-25peopleontheground inasimilarcondition68.DrManoharan,whohadcontinuedtoarguewiththearmedforces,

54Ibid.55Ibid.56Ibid.57Ibid.58Ibid.59Ibid.60Ibid.61Ibid.62Ibid.63Ibid.64Ibid.65Ibid.66Ibid.67Ibid.68Ibid.

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suddenly heard cries for help in Tamil followed by gunshots69. Looking towards theGandhi statue, he states he saw flashes-automatic gunfire aimed at the ground.70 Ondemandingtoknowwhathadtakenplace,DrManoharanwasinformedthat‘fiveciviliansweredeadandtwowerebadly injured’ fromthe firing.71TheshotswereheardbyMrYogarajah, too, who had been lying on the ground.72 After the shooting occurred, DrManoharansawtheunmarkedpickupleavethearea,carryingsixorsevenmaskedarmedsoldiers.73Hewasinformedbyasecuritypersonthatheshouldlookforhissonatthehospital.74

Ontheotherhand,MrYogarajah,havingreachedthehospital,statedthathecheckedthebloodstainedbodiescarriedtothehospitalbythemilitaryjeeps,inordertoidentifyhisson75.Heclaimedtohaverecognisedhisson’sbodywhichwasbroughttothehospitalinthethirdmilitaryjeep,atwhichpointhehadstartedscreaming.76

WhenDrManoharanarrivedatthehospital,heobservedthethenSSPKapilaJayasekera’svehicleparkedoutside,witharmedsoldierspatrollingthecorridors.77Hewasonceagainobstructed fromenteringthehospitalandhadto forcehisway in78.Uponvisitingthemortuary, Dr Manoharan claims to have identified the body of his son79. Whilst hispersonalbelongings includingsomepettycash, IDcardsandwallethadbeenmissing,therewas awound of 2 to 2½ inches at the back of his head80. Hewas, thereafter,approached by six or seven armedmilitary personnel and demanded that he sign adocumentstatingthathissonwasanLTTEcadrewhohadbeenkilledinanexplosion81.Thiswas refusedbyDrManoharanwhoaccording to reportshad later returnedwithArthurTveiten, theheadof theSriLankaMonitoringMission(SLMM) inTrincomalee,whohadconfirmedhisopinion82.

SincegivingevidencebeforeaMagistrateaweekafterhisson’smurder,DrManoharanandhis familyreceivedcontinuousdeaththreats.83On11March2006,DrManoharanreceivedananonymousletterwrittenbadlyinTamil,warninghimagainstgivingfurtherevidence.84Theletterallegedlystatedthatthefiveboyshadbeenkilledsincetheywere‘Tigersupporters’andwassignedbyagroupcallingthemselves‘TheVigilantGroupfor

69Ibid.70Ibid.71Ibid.72Ibid.73Ibid.74Ibid.75Ibid.76Ibid.77Ibid.78Ibid.79Ibid.80Ibid.81Ibid.82Ibid.83Ibid.84Ibid.

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theEliminationoftheEnemy’.85Thisletterhadreportedlybeensenttothefamiliesofallthe slainvictims86.On14May2006,DrManoharanclaimstohaveyet again seen thevehicleofSSPKapilaJayasekeraparkedoutside.87Eventually,bothheandhisfamilywereforcedtofleethecountryandsubsequentlyreceivedasylumintheUK88.

Therehavebeenseveralinstancesofintimidationofwitnessesoftheincident,includingthe deaths of the Sudar Oli journalist Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan89 who hadaccompanied Dr. Manoharan to the morgue and the Buddhistmonk HandungamuweNandarathana who sympathised with the plight of the victims, both of whom werereportedlygunneddownby‘Sinhalesespeakinggunmen’afewweeksandayearlater,respectively.90

TheGovernmentResponseInresponsetoameetingwiththethenUSAmbassadorRobertO’Blakein2006,aformergovernmentministerandformerPresidentialAdvisorBasilRajapaksa inan interviewadmittedthattherewasSTFinvolvementinthekillingofthefivestudents,althoughthe‘bullet and gun evidence showed otherwise’.91 He, in fact, stated that although theirinvolvementwasfairlywellknown,therewasnoevidencetoprosecutethemsincetheyused‘separate’gunswhenextrajudicialkillingsweredone.AleakedcablefromtheUSEmbassyconfirmedtheinterviewbetweenRajapaksaandtheUSAmbassador.92

TheInvestigationProcessThe‘TrincoFive’casereceivedrenewedattentionwhenitwasincludedinthemandateforaPresidentialCommissionestablishedin2006toinvestigate15prominenthumanrights cases.93 Chaired by late retired Supreme Court Judge N.K. Udalagama, andappointedbyformerPresidentRajapaksainJuly2007,theCommissionwasvestedwiththemandatetolookinto15prominentincidentsofextrajudicialkillingsthathadtakenplaceduringtheperiodoftheethnicconflictwhichhadreceivedglobalattention.94Outofthe15incidents,sevenreportswereconcludedbytheCommission,includingoneforthe‘TrincoFive’case.95AlthoughtheCommissionblamedtheLTTEformostofthecases,

85Ibid.86Ibid.87Ibid.88Ibid.89TamilJouranlistgunneddowninTrincomaleeaftercoveringparamilitaryabuse(ReportersWithoutBorders)<https://rsf.org/en/news/tamil-journalist-gunned-down-trincomalee-after-covering-paramilitary-abuses>90Ibid.91“TheTrincoFiveandaLegacyofImpunity”(DailyFT,11July2013)availableathttp://www.ft.lk/article/162492/The-Trinco-5-and-a-legacy-of-impunity92Ibid.93EaswaranRutnam,“Trinco-5massacre:Afather’scryforjustice”,(TheMorning)availableat<http://www.themorning.lk/pg6lead-2/>94TharushanFernando“Udalagama,ParanagamaCommissionReportsexplained”,(NewsFirst,21October2015)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2015/10/21/udalagama-paranagama-commission-reports-explained/>95Ibid.

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inthecaseofthefiveyouth,theCommissionconcludedthat‘therearestronggroundstosurmisetheinvolvementofuniformedpersonnelinthecommissionofthecrime.’96

AmongtherecommendationsoftheUdalagamaCommissionwere:97

1. Furtherinvestigationsintocertaincases.2. A new Commission to be constituted and directed to complete the balance

pendingcasesbeforetheCommission.3. Appropriate measures of reparation to be provided to the victims of serious

violationsofhumanrightsinvestigatedandinquiredintobytheCommissionofInquiryandtheirnextkin.

However,on theTrincoFiveCase, theCommissiondidnotaccuseany individual,butstatedthat‘thoseresponsibleshouldhavethecouragetoadmitthattheyhaveerredandtenderapublicapologywhichcouldbeacatharsisforreconciliation.’98Thisreflectstheconsistentpatternofstateinvestigatorymechanismstodownplayandminimiserightsviolationscommittedallegedlybystatesecurityforces.

Following the representations made by Dr Manoharan and Mr YaiyamuttuShanmugarajah, fathers of Manoharan Ragihar and Shanmugarajah Gajendran, at theUNHRCsessionsinMarch2013,andtheinterventionofHumanRightsMinister,MahindaSamarasinghe,theCIDinitiatedaninquiryintotheincidentleadingtothearrestof13suspects on 04 July 2013. It was reported that an ASP had also been arrested andremandedinconnectionwiththekillings.99

Onanearlieroccasion,too,severalsuspectshadbeenarrestedonoraroundFebruary12,2006,butwerereleasedinAprilthesameyear,duetolackofevidence.100However,itisanotablefactthatthethenSSPKapilaJayasekera,whoreportedlyhadadirectconnectionwiththekillings,wasnotimplicatedinthemurders,despitehis‘commandingposition’duringthe‘highlycontroversialkillings’.101

96“UdalagamaPanelBlamesLTTEForKillingof51Girls”,(SriLankaBrief,23October2015)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2015/10/udalagama-panel-blames-ltte-for-killing-of-51-girls/>97TharushanFernando,“Udalagama,ParanagamaCommissionReportsexplained”(Newsfirst,21October2015)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2015/10/21/udalagama-paranagama-commission-reports-explained/>98“UdalagamaPanelBlamesLTTEForKillingof51Girls”,(SriLankaBrief,23October2015)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2015/10/udalagama-panel-blames-ltte-for-killing-of-51-girls/>99“Trinco-5OperationsCommanderReappointedToTrincoAsDIGAheadOfNorthernElection”(ColomboTelegraph9July2013)availableat<https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/trinco-5-operations-commander-reappointed-to-trinco-as-dig-ahead-of-northern-election/>100ShamindraFerdinando“Eyewitnessesshuninvestigation,claimslawyerrepresentingsuspectsWar-timemassacreofTrincostudents”(TheIsland,6March2014)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=99269101“Trinco-5OperationsCommanderReappointedToTrincoAsDIGAheadOfNorthernElection”(ColomboTelegraph,9July2013)availableat<https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/trinco-5-operations-commander-reappointed-to-trinco-as-dig-ahead-of-northern-election/>

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Accordingtoreportssuchas thestudyconductedbytheUTHRJ, thepersonswhoaredirectlyresponsible,orwhohaveadirectconnectionwiththemurders,areasfollows102:

1. SuperintendentofPoliceKapilaJayasekera2. NavalOfficerUdawatteWeerakkody3. STFpersonnelVasPerera4. DIGAbeywardena5. DIGandJHUmemberH.M.G.B.Kotakadeniya

TheOHCHRInvestigationonSriLanka(OISL)subsequentlydeterminedthattherewere‘reasonablegroundstobelievethatsecuritypersonnel,includingSTFpersonnel,carriedoutthemurdersofthefivestudents’103andfurtherstatedthatthecasedemonstrated‘thechallengesinpursuingaccountabilityatadomesticlevelinthecontextofSriLanka’104.

ProgressinthecasetodateOne major drawback that hinders the progress of the case is the reluctance of theeyewitnesses to come forward to give evidence. The two surviving witnesses of theattack,Y.PunkalaloganandG.Kokularaj,believedtoberesidingoverseas,havehithertonotbeeninterviewed,atleastaccordingtopubliclyavailablesources.105

Former Law and OrderMinister Sagala Ratnayake has confirmed that some positivedevelopmentsarebeingmadewith the casedue to theavailabilityof Skype evidencewhentestifying,asintimidationofwitnesseswasoneofthemajordrawbacksthatwerepreventingthecasefromprogressing.106However,itisunclearwhetherthisalonewouldbeenoughtocompeloverseaswitnessestothecrimetocomeforwardandtestify.

102UniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)availableat<SriLanka,OfficialSecretsandBlindJustice(SpecialReportNo.35,2010)availableat<http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport35.htm>103UniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)SriLankaTheFiveStudentsCaseinTrincomalee(SpecialReportNo.24,2007)availableathttp://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport24.htm104Ibid.105ShamindraFerdinando,“Eyewitnessesshuninvestigation,claimslawyerrepresentingsuspectsWar-timemassacreofTrincostudents”(TheIsland,6March2014)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=99269106“CaseovermurderoffiveyouthinTrincomaleeprogressingduetoSkypeevidence:Sagala”(DailyFT,)availableat<http://www.ft.lk/news/Case-over-murder-of-five-youth-in-Trincomalee-progressing-due-to-Skype-evidence--Sagala/56-646538>

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3.KillingofACFAidWorkers,2006On 04 August 2006, 17 aid workers of the French international non-governmentalorganisation Action Contre La Faim (ACF) were murdered in their office in Muttur,EasternTrincomalee.107Reports indicated that theywere shotat fromclose range108.Despiteseveralpromisestoinvestigateandprosecute,andaPresidentialCommissionofInquiry(PCoI)appointedtolookintothematter,therehasbeennocredibleinvestigationtodatewhichhasledtoanyindictmentsbeingfiled.ACFsubsequentlywithdrewfromthecountryin2008,inprotestoftheinactionofauthoritiesconcerned.

Thefollowingwillbeabriefaccountofthedetailsthathavebeenhithertoreportedonthematter.

BackgroundtothecaseOn31Julyand01August2006,17aidworkersweredispatchedtoMutturintwobatches.The team included three drivers and three vehicles109. On 01August 2006, the LTTEattackedMutturinabidtoovertakethisstrategiclocationwhichcontrolledtheentrytoTrincomalee harbour and naval headquarters110.The murders reportedly took placethreedaysaftertheattackon04August2006.111

TimelineofEvents2006

04August2006–AccordingtoaBBCreport112,theACFclaimedtohavelostcontactwithitsofficeinMutturaround7a.m.ThiswasreportedlyduetoheavyfightingragingarounditbetweentheSriLankaArmyandtheL.T.T.E.113AreligiousleaderinMuttur114statedthathehadbeentotheACFofficeataround8.30a.m.thatday,115toadvisetheworkerstojointhemastheyleftthetown.Ataround10a.m.aladywhowasemployedasacook

107ActionContreLaFaim“Aidworkers’murdersinSriLanka:TenyearsafterActionagainstHungercommemoratestheMutturmassacre”(Reliefweb,26July2016)availableat<https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/aid-workers-murders-sri-lanka-ten-years-after-action-against-hunger-commemorates>108UniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)UnfinishedBusinessoftheFiveStudentsandACFCases–ATimetocalltheBluff(SpecialReportNo.30,2008)availableat<http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/Spreport30.htm>109“ACFcruellyabandoneditsworkersandcompensation,too:ResponsetoActionContreLaFaim(ACF)availableat<”(TheIsland,23August2016)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=150795>110Ibid.111Ibid.112“SriLanka'sforcesaccusedofmassacringaidworkers”(BBCNews,3December2013)availableat<https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25198856>113Ibid.114UniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)UnfinishedBusinessoftheFiveStudentsandACFCases–ATimetocalltheBluff(SpecialReportNo.30,2008)pg.07availableat<http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/Spreport30.htm>115UniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)UnfinishedBusinessoftheFiveStudentsandACFCases–ATimetocalltheBluff(SpecialReportNo.30,2008)pg.07availableat<http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/Spreport30.htm>

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fortheACFworkersissaidtohavemetthemtoinformthemthatthetownspeoplewereleavingaftertheL.T.T.E.hadnotifiedthemthatanattackhadbeenplannedonthejettynavalgarrisonlaterintheday116.

TheACFworkers,however,hadreportedlyremainedastheyhadreceivedordersfromtheheadofficetoawaitpickup117.TownspeopleconfirmthattheACFworkerswereseenintownintheafternoonthatsamedayaftertheL.T.T.E.hadvacatedthetown.118

AccordingtotheUniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)(UTHRJ)reportonthecase,thekillingshadtakenplacearound5.30pmonthe4ofAugust.119Fifteenbodiesallwearing white ACF t-shirts120, clearly identifying them as aid workers121, had beenrecovered from the ACF compound on or around 7 August. Two other bodies werediscoveredlaterinacarnearby,reportedlykilledwhilstattemptingtoflee122.TheBBCreports the details of the victims, 16 ethnic Tamils and one Muslim, including fourwomen123asfollows124:

1. R.Arulrajah(24years)–Waterandsanitationtechnician2. M.Narmathan(23years)–Waterandsanitationtechnician3. S.Koneswaran–(24years)–Driver4. T.Pratheeban(27years)–Waterandsanitationtechnician5. R.Sivapragasham(25years)–Hygienepromotionmoderator6. G.Kavitha(27years)–Hygieneadvisor7. M.Rishikesan(24years)–Waterandsanitationtechnician8. A.Jaseelan(27years)–Waterandsanitationtechnician9. K.Kovarthani(27years)–Hygienepromotionmoderator10. V.Kokilavathani(29years)–Hygienepromotionmoderator11. A.L.M.Jawffar(31years)–Waterandsanitationqualifiedtechnician12. Y.Kodeeswaran(30years)–Foodsecuritytechnician

116UniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)UnfinishedBusinessoftheFiveStudentsandACFCases–ATimetocalltheBluff(SpecialReportNo.30,2008)pg.07availableat<http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/Spreport30.htm>117Ibid.118Ibid.119Ibid.120“SriLanka'sforcesaccusedofmassacringaidworkers”(BBCNews,3December2013)availableat<https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25198856>121ActionContreLaFaim(reliefweb,26July2016)availableat<“Aidworkers’murdersinSriLanka:TenyearsafterActionagainstHungercommemoratestheMutturmassacre”https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/aid-workers-murders-sri-lanka-ten-years-after-action-against-hunger-commemorates>122UniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)UnfinishedBusinessoftheFiveStudentsandACFCases–ATimetocalltheBluff(SpecialReportNo.30,2008)pg.12availableat<http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/Spreport30.htm>123“SriLanka:10YearsSinceAidWorkerMassacreInternationalRoleNeededtoEnsureJustice”(HumanRightsWatch,31July2016)availableat<https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/07/31/sri-lanka-10-years-aid-worker-massacre>124“SriLanka'sforcesaccusedofmassacringaidworkers”(BBCNews,3December2013)availableat<https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25198856>

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13. S.P.Anantharajah(32years)–Programmemanager14. I.Muralitharan(33years)–Driver15. G.Sritharan(36years)–Waterandsanitationtechnician16. M.Ketheeswaran(36years)–Waterandsanitationtechnician17. S.Ganesh(54years)–Driver

AccordingtotheACFreportonthemurdersreleasedinDecember2013,theworkershadbeenlinedupinsidetheACFcompoundand‘shotdeadatcloserange.’125AccordingtotheUTHRJReport,evidencehasalsoemergedthatthePolicehadbeenawareoftheplightofthestrandedaidworkers,andhadreceivedorderstoensuretheirsafety,whichtheyhadpurportedlyignored126.

05-07 August 2006 – TheMuttur Police claim to have discovered the bodies on 06August.127TheConsortiumofHumanitarianAgencies,(CHA)anassociationofnationalandinternationalagencies,isthefirstorganisationtowitnessandphotographthedeadbodieson06August128.

ACFwasdeniedaccesstotheirofficeinMutturtocollectthebodiesofthedeceasedbythe armed forces, allegedly citing lack of security129. Both the Sri Lanka MonitoringMission (SLMM)and the InternationalCommittee for theRedCross (ICRC)were alsodeniedaccesson05and06August.ACFwasallowedtoretrievethebodiesonlyon7August,reportedlythreedaysafterthekillings130.

08 August 2006 – The then Minister for Human Rights, Mahinda Samarasinghecondemnedthekillingsof the17aidworkers,andstatedthatan investigationwillbelaunched131.

29August2006–TheoutgoingheadoftheSriLankaMonitoringMission(SLMM),UlfHenricsson condemned the killings as “one of themost serious recent crimes againsthumanitarianaidworkersworldwide.”132SLMMstatesthatevidenceindicatesthatthesecurityforcesaretobeblamedforthemassacrebasedonthreekeypoints:thepresence

125“SriLanka'sforcesaccusedofmassacringaidworkers”(BBCNews,3December2013)availableat<https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25198856>126UniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)UnfinishedBusinessoftheFiveStudentsandACFCases–ATimetocalltheBluff(SpecialReportNo.30,2008)availableat<http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/Spreport30.htm>127ActionContreLaFaim“TheTruthAbouttheAssasinationof17AidWorkersinSriLanka”(Reliefweb,26July2016)availableathttps://www.actioncontrelafaim.org/en/publication/the-truth-about-the-assassination-of-17-aid-workers-in-sri-lanka/128Ibid.129Ibid.130Ibid.131“ACFcruellyabandoneditsworkersandcompensation,too:ResponsetoActionContreLaFaim(ACF)”(TheIsland,23August2016)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=150795>132JustinHuggler,“EuropeaccusesSriLankanarmyofassassinatingaidworkers”(TheIndependent,31August2006)availableat<https://web.archive.org/web/20070312212142/http:/news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article1222812.ece>

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of thesecurity forces inMutturat thetimeofthekillings,government forcesblockingmonitoringforcesfromenteringthepremisesafterthebodieshadbeendiscoveredandconfidentialconversationswith“highlyreliable”sourcespointingouttheculpabilityofthesecurityforces.133

12September2006–ACFmadeaformalcomplainttotheHumanRightsCommissionofSriLanka(HRCSL)inTrincomalee.134

03November2006–ThePresidentialCommissionofInquirytoInvestigateandInquireinto Alleged Serious Violations of Human Rights (the Commission) was appointed135underthechairmanshipoflateretiredSupremeCourtJudgeN.K.Udalagama,alongwithan International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) to observe theproceedingsoftheCommission.136

2007

12January2007–HRCSLinformedACFthatnecessarystepshadbeentakentoappointateamtoinvestigatetheMutturmassacre137.

14 May 2007 – First investigation into the killings initiated by the government isconducted by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry.138 The Commission conductsapproximately76sessions fromwhichtheevidenceofmanywitnesses iscollected.139However,organisationssuchasHumanRightsWatch reported that evenat thisstagethreatstowitnessesandthefamiliesoftheslainaidworkersprevailed.140

01 June 2007 –The International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP)submitteditsfirstinterimreporttothePresident141.ItstatedthattheCommissionhad

133UniversityTeachersforHumanRights(Jaffna)UnfinishedBusinessoftheFiveStudentsandACFCases–ATimetocalltheBluff(SpecialReportNo.30,2008)availableat<http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/Spreport30.htm>134Ibid.135“ACFcruellyabandoneditsworkersandcompensation,too:ResponsetoActionContreLaFaim(ACF)”(TheIsland,23August2016)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=150795>136CentreforPolicyAlternativesCommissionofInquiryandtheInternationalIndependentGroupofEminentPersons:CommentaryonDevelopments(PolicyBriefNo.2,2007)availableat<https://www.cpalanka.org/commission-of-inquiry-and-the-international-independent-group-of-eminent-persons-commentary-on-developmentsjanuaryapril-2007/>137ActionContreLaFaim“TheTruthAbouttheAssasinationof17AidWorkersinSriLanka”(Reliefweb,26July2016)availableathttps://www.actioncontrelafaim.org/en/publication/the-truth-about-the-assassination-of-17-aid-workers-in-sri-lanka/>138“SriLanka:NoRespiteforAidWorkers”(InterPressServiceNewsAgency,19November2007)availableat<http://www.ipsnews.net/2007/11/sri-lanka-no-respite-for-aid-workers/>139“ACFcruellyabandoneditsworkersandcompensation,too:ResponsetoActionContreLaFaim(ACF)availableat<”(TheIsland,23August2016)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=150795>140“SriLanka:10YearsSinceAidWorkerMassacreInternationalRoleNeededtoEnsureJustice”(HumanRightsWatch,31July2016)availableat<https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/07/31/sri-lanka-10-years-aid-worker-massacre>141SajjadKarim“ParliamentaryQuestions:SriLanka-ReportofInternationalIndependentGroupofPersons”(EuropeanParliament,22June2007)availableat

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hardlymadeanyprogressintheinvestigationsprocesssinceitsinceptioninNovember2006. It further stated thatmeasures taken by the Government of Sri Lanka and theCommissiontoaddressissuessuchastheindependenceoftheCommission,timelinessand witness protection are inadequate and did not satisfy international norms andstandards142.

18September2007–TheIIGEPsentitssecondreporttothePresident143.ThereportcontaineddetailsoftheIIGEP’scontinuingeffortstoensuretransparencyandmonitorthe conduct of the work carried out by the Commission, in accordance with basicinternationalnormsandstandards,asdirectedinthePresidentialWarrant.144

November2007 –Themandateof theCommissionwasreneweduntil02November2008.145

14 November 2007 – The HRCSL informed the ACF that documents relating to theinvestigation would not be immediately available due to the proceedings at theCommission.146

2008-2011

06March2008–TheIIGEPannouncedthatitwillbequittingitsoperationsinSriLankadue to issues of transparencywith regard to the investigations process147. Themaincriticismlevelledagainstitisthe“lackofpoliticalwilltofindthetruth.”148

June2009–TermofPresidentialCommissioncametoanabruptend, twoandahalfyearsafterbeingappointed,andwithonlysevenoffifteencasesconcluded.149

15May2011–TheLessonsLearntandReconciliationCommission(LLRC)initsfinalreportrecommendedthatthegovernmentinvestigatethekillingsofthefivestudentsin

<http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+WQ+E-2007-3173+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN142Ibid.143SRILANKA:TheIIGEPreiteratesconcernsovertheworkoftheCommissionofInquiry”(AsianHumanRightsCommission,18September2007)availableat<http://www.humanrights.asia/news/forwarded-news/FS-034-2007/>144Ibid.145Ibid.146“SriLanka:TheMutturmassacre-astruggleforjustice”(reliefweb,19June2008)availableat<https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-muttur-massacre-struggle-justice>>147“ExpertpanelquitsSriLankaoverrightsabuseprobe”(Reuters,6March2008)availableat<https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSCOL44994>148“SriLankatocontinuerightprobedespitepanelquitting”(reliefweb,22April2008)availableat<https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-continue-right-probe-despite-panel-quitting>149ChandaniKirinde“TheCommissionactedasadeterrent:JusticeUdalagama”(SundayTimes,21June2009)availableat<http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090621/News/sundaytimesnews_16.html>

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Trincomalee and the killing of the 17 aid workers.150 Section 5.163 details therecommendationsoftheLLRCwithregardtotheinvestigationsontheACFkillings.151

2015

20 October 2015 – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe tabled the UdalagamaCommissionReportinParliament.Debatesonthereportwerescheduledfor22and23October.152

22 October 2015 – Then Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training,MahindaSamarasinghepresentedthereportoftheOHCHCRtoParliament,whichmakesreference to the Udalagama Report which states as follows: “In the course of itsinvestigation, OHCHR obtained access to the unpublished reports of several domesticinvestigations, including the 2006Udalagama Commission and the 2012Army Court ofInquiry.ThesereportsconfirmOHCHR’sconcernsabouttheirlackofindependence……..”153Heemphasisedtheneedtopublishthesaidreportwithoutwhichitsauthenticitycouldnotbeestablished.(Videpp.1013-1014)

23 October 2015 – Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government FaiszerMustapha quoted from the Udalagama Report in Parliament and stated that panelmembersoftheCommissionhadcriticisedthepoliceinvestigationsintothemurdersas“lacking professionalism” and being “shoddy”.154 Quoting panel member ManouriMuttetuwegama,hestatedthattheinvestigationsdidnotfindanyindividualguiltyas“theAttorneyGeneral’slawyerscameoutwithsomanydifferentpossibilitiesineverycasethatitwasnotpossibletocometodefinitiveconclusions”.155

Court/InvestigationProceedings2006

08 August 2006 –The first autopsy into the killingswas carried out by theMutturMagistrate,althoughnoballisticevidenceiscollected.156

15August2006–ThefirstinquestbeganintheMutturMagistrate’sCourt.

150RangaJayasuriya“TheNeedToPublishTheUdalagamaCommissionReport”(ColomboTelegraph,11July2013)availableat<https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-need-to-publish-the-udalagama-commission-report/>151“ReportoftheCommissionOfInquiryOnLessonsLearntAndReconciliation”(USAEmbassy,November2011)availableat<http://slembassyusa.org/downloads/LLRC-REPORT.pdf>152“PrimeMinisterPresentsUdalagama,ParanagamaCommissionReportsToParliament”(AsianMirror,20October2015)availableat<http://asianmirror.lk/news/item/12346-prime-minister-presents-udalagama-paranagama-commission-reports-to-parliament>153“ParliamentaryDebates(Hansard)availableat<”(SriLankaParliament,23October222015)availableat<https://www.parliament.lk/uploads/documents/hansard/1446089031089971.pdf>154Ibid.155Ibid.156“JointSubmissiontotheUnitedNationsUniversalPeriodicReview:FourteenthSessionoftheWorkingGroupontheUPR”(ACF&SPEAK,2012)availableat<https://www.actioncontrelafaim.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/acf_-_joint_upr_submission_-_sri_lanka_-_october2012-2.pdf>

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05September2006–ThecasewastransferredtotheAnuradhapuraMagistrate’sCourt,on the instructions of the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms.157However,no clearreasonwasgiven for the transfer, and itwasalleged that itwas tofurther intimidate Tamil witnesses.158It was heard by the Anuradhapura MagistratebasedinKantale.159

16September2006–Twoofthebodieswereexhumedafterobtainingauthorisation.160They were identified to be those of Muttulingam Narmathan and MatajavarasaKetheeshwaran.

29September2006–AMemorandumofUnderstanding(MoU)wassignedbetweentheSriLankanandAustraliangovernmentstoofficiallyallowAustralianexpertstoobserveandassistintheinvestigationsprocess161.

October 2006 – The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) appointed MichaelBirnbaumQC,as itsobserverof the inquest intothekillings.Heattendedtwo inquesthearingsinKantaleon22November2006and07March2007.162

04October2006–TheCriminalInvestigationDepartment(CID)submitted32emptycartridgesand11ammunitioninCourt,togetherwithaninvestigativereport.TheywerereportedlyrecoveredbytheMutturPoliceon08AugustandbytheCIDon17August.163

18October2006–Ninemoreexhumationstookplace164.

24-25 October 2006 – Autopsies were carried out by Dr. Waidyaratne, JMO ofAnuradhapura,inthepresenceofAustralianPathologistDr.MalcomDodd.Sevenbulletsandthreemetalfragmentswererecovered.

01November2006–Theexhumedbodieswerereburied.

06December2006–TheMagistrateorderedaballisticexaminationtobeconductedbytheSriLankanauthoritiesinthepresenceofAustralianexperts165.

157“SriLanka:TheMutturmassacre-astruggleforjustice”(Reliefweb,19June2008)availableat<https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-muttur-massacre-struggle-justice>158“AGrandFailureoftheSriLankanState”(SundayTimes,2June2013)https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/sunday-times-sri-lanka/20130602/281818576374320159ibid160“SriLanka:TheMutturmassacre-astruggleforjustice”(reliefweb,19June2008)availableat<https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-muttur-massacre-struggle-justice>161Ibid.162Ibid.163Ibid.164Ibid.165“Killingof17ACFaidworkers:ACFasksforaballisticsexaminationconductedbySriLankanexpertsandAustralianobservers”(reliefweb,13March2007)availableat<https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/killing-17-acf-aid-workers-acf-asks-ballistics-examination-conducted-sri-lankan>

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2007

07March2007 – A hearingwas held into the killings of the 17ACFworkers at theKantaleMagistrate’sCourt.166TheMagistratepronouncedhisverdictregardingthefirstinquiry:thattherewerenoleadstothoseresponsibleforthemurdersidentifiedforthemoment; that there was the need for the involvement of Australian observers for aballisticsexaminationandthattherewereconcernsregardingsomeoftheflawsduringtheinquiry.167TheverdictoftheMagistratealsoconfirmedthatthevictimshadallbeenkilledbyshotstothehead,intheearlymorningof04August168.

October2007–11corpseswereexhumedandasecondpost-mortemwascarriedoutinthepresenceofanAustralianobserver.169Thesecondpost-mortemrevealedthatall17workerswerekilledbyshotstotheheadintheearlymorningof4August.

28November2007–ThecasewastransferredbacktoMuttur170.

Noprogressof thecasecanbetracedfromthereon.Accordingtoavailablereportsnoarrestshavebeenmadehitherto,andnoformalindictmenthasbeenlaidagainstanyofthepersonsresponsiblefortheACFkillings.171

ProblemswiththeInvestigationProcessThe IIGEP had several causes of concern regarding the investigation process of theCommission. These included the continuing slow progress of the Commission’sinvestigationsandinquiries,includingtheproceduresbeingfollowed,theindependenceoftheCommissioninthelightofstatecounselfromtheAttorneyGeneral’sDepartmentbeing part of the panel of counsel assisting the Commission, the continuing need foreffective witness and victim protection and assistance, and inadequate disclosure ofinformation.172

The ICJ observer, Michael Birnbaum QC, quoting the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission(SLMM)Reportnotedthattherewere‘verystrongindications’astotheinvolvementofthearmedforcesduetothreereasons:theGovernment’srestrictionsonthemovementoftheSLMM,thepresenceofthesecurityforcesmakingithighlyunlikelythatanyother

166Ibid.167Ibid.168Ibid.169Ibid.170“SriLanka:TheMutturmassacre-astruggleforjustice”(reliefweb,19June2008)availableat<https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-muttur-massacre-struggle-justice>171“SriLanka:ICJinquestobserverfindsflawsininvestigationintokillingofACFaidworkers”(reliefweb,23April2007)availableat<https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-icj-inquest-observer-finds-flaws-investigation-killing-acf-aid-workers>172“SRILANKA:TheIIGEPreiteratesconcernsovertheworkoftheCommissionofInquiry”(AsianHumanRightsCommission,18September2007)availableat<http://www.humanrights.asia/news/forwarded-news/FS-034-2007/>

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groupcouldhavecommittedthemurders,andlastlythe‘confidential’conversationstheSLMMhadwith‘highlyreliablesources’regardingwhowasresponsibleforthekillings173.

CPA has also at the time highlighted several issues concerning the transparency andindependenceofthePresidentialCommissionofInquiry,inthelightofthestatementsmadebytheIIGEP.174

The ICJ observermade several recommendations regarding the investigation processintotheACFaidworkers’massacre175.Therecommendationsmadetothegovernmentinclude establishing a team of independent investigators, establishing a witnessprotectionschemeandconsideringseriousreformstothecriminaljusticesystem176.TheICJfurtherrecommendedthattheCommissionshouldinvestigatethecircumstancesinwhichthe17bodieswerediscoveredincludingwhethercertainbodieshadbeenmovedbeforethevisitoftheConsortiumofHumanitarianAgencies(CHA)group;theproductionofrelevantdocumentsbythesecurityforcesshowingtheirmovement;thedateswhentheylostandregainedcontrolofMuttur;andobtainingvideoandphotographicevidenceofthesceneandtracingeyewitnesses.

TherehavebeennorecentdevelopmentsregardingtheinvestigationprocessoftheACFAidWorkers’killings.

173“SriLanka:TheMutturmassacre-astruggleforjustice”(reliefweb,19June2008)availableat<https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-muttur-massacre-struggle-justice>174CentreforPolicyAlternatives“ResponsetothestatementbytheInternationalIndependentGroupofEminentPersonsIIGEP)availableat<”(2007)availableat<https://www.cpalanka.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/5/CPA_response_to_statement_by_IIGEP.pdf>175SriLanka:TheMutturmassacre-astruggleforjustice”(reliefweb,19June2008)availableat<https://reliefweb.int/report/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-muttur-massacre-struggle-justice>176Ibid.

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4.‘TheMissingEleven’:TheAbductionsof11Youth,2008/09

IntroductionThe enforced disappearance of 11 youth in Sri Lanka during 2008/09 in an allegedransomrackethasbeenoneofthemostcloselyscrutinisedcasesofgravehumanrightsviolationsinSriLanka.Inthisparticularcase,elevenmenincludingfivestudentsbetweentheagesof17-18wereallegedlyabductedbySriLankanNavypersonnelfromtheareasofKotahena,Wattala,DehiwelaandJinthupitiyabetween09August2008and10October2008.

Thefollowingisatimelineofthesequenceoftheeventswhichdetailseventsandtimetakenwiththeinvestigations177.

TimelineofAbductions2008

09August 2008 – Kasthuri Arachchige JohnReid (21 years) abducted fromWattalaalongwithhisvehiclebearingno.56-5536178.

25August2008–AmalanLeon(Lyon)(50years)andRoshanLeon(Lyon)(21years)abductedfromKotahena.179

17 September 2008 –RajivNaganathan (21 years), P. Vishwanathan (21 years), T.Ramalingam(17years),MohomedSajid(21years)MohamedAliAnver(ageunknown)andJamaldeenDilan(ageunknown)abductedfromDehiwela.TheyarekidnappedalongwiththeirTataIndicavehicleinwhichtheyweretravelling180.

10October2008–KasthuriArachchigeAnton(48years)fatherofKasthuriArachchigeJohnReid,abductedfromKotahena.181

2008 – Thyagarajah Jegan (32 years) abducted from Jinthupitiya. (Exact date ofabductionremainsunknown)182

Firstheldatalocationnamed‘PittuBambuwa’downChaithyaRoad,themissingyouthwerereportedlylastheldatanundergroundchambercalled‘Gunsite’belongingtotheTrincomaleeNavyandOceanAcademybytheircaptors183.Allcommunicationbetween

177NirmalaKannangara“AbductionOf11TamilYouthsTwistsAndTurnsInTheInvestigations”(DailyMirror,21August2018)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Abduction-of-Tamil-youths-Twists-and-turns-in-the-investigations-154315.html>178Ibid.179Ibid.180Ibid.181Ibid.182Ibid.183ManeshkaBorham“Diaryentry,etalleadtoCommodore’sarrest”(SundayObserver,23July2017)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2017/07/23/features/diary-entry-et-al-lead-commodore%E2%80%99s-arrest>

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the victims and their families ceased byMay2011, according to SarojiniNaganathan,motherofRajivNaganathan,whowentmissingon17September2008.184

TimelineofInvestigations2009

10May2009–ItwasreportedthatthethenNavyCommanderWasanthaKarannagodainstructed Sri Lanka Navy Intelligence to conduct an internal inquiry based oninformationreceivedagainstLt.CommanderSampathMunasinghe185.

26 May 2009 – Then Lt. Commander Sampath Munasinghe’s quarters at the NavyHeadquarters,Colombo,wassearchedontheinstructionsofthethenNavyCommanderWasanthaKarannagoda.Officersdiscoveredapassport,severalNICstogether,withmanyotheritemsincludinglivecartridges,mobilephones,creditcardsandSIMcards186.

28 May 2009 – Former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda filed written acomplainttotheCIDagainsthispersonalsecurityofficerthenLt.CommanderSampathMunasingheregardinghispossibleinvolvementintheabductions.187Inthecomplaint,Karannagoda made reference to the recovery of four national identity cards, onepassport, one mobile phone, promissory notes worth over one million rupees andapproximatelyaround450roundsofammunitionfromMunasinghe’scabin.188

30May2009–ItemsfoundinpossessionofLt.CommanderSampathMunasinghearehanded over to the CID by the Navy subsequent to the complaint, for furtherinvestigation189.

May 2009 –Rear Admiral JJ Ranasinghe, Vice Chancellor of the Kotelawala DefenceUniversity(KDU)broughtthedisappearanceof21yearoldRajivNaganathan,oneofthemissing11,tothenoticeofAdmiralKarannagoda.190AdmiralKarannagodacalledforanexplanation from Lt. Commander Ranasinghe who denied the allegation.191 AdmiralKarannagodathensentthenEasternCommanderRearAdmiralThusithaWeerasekerato

184Ibid.185AnurangiSingh“Karannagodadeemedflightrisk”(SundayObserver,24February2019)availableathttp://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/02/24/news-features/karannagoda-deemed-flight-risk186NirmalaKannagara“CIDoncollisioncoursewithCDSoverthefugitive”(DailyMirror,19thJune2018)http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ajVlEVLcaNwJ:www.dailymirror.lk/expose/article/CID-on-Collision-course-with-CDS-over-the-fugitive--151466.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=lk187Ibid.188ShamindraFerdinando“Ex-Commanderamong50navyofficersgrilledWartimedisappearances:*DKPtobeproducedincourttoday”(TheIsland,18July2017)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=168497>189AnurangiSingh“Karannagodadeemedflightrisk”(SundayObserver,24February2019)availableathttp://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/02/24/news-features/karannagoda-deemed-flight-risk190Ibid.191ibid

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checkthejuniorofficer’sclaim.192RearAdmiralWeerasekeraalsoconfirmedtheclaimthatnosecretprisonerswerebeingheld.193

10June2009–Maj.NevillePriyanthaAttanayakeoftheArmyIntelligenceUnitproducedSampathMunasinghe to the CIDwhere the latter is arrested and subsequently givenbail194.

15June2009–ThethenDirectoroftheCIDorderedafullprobeintotheincidents,whichhasresultedin11arrestsofNavalOfficerssincethen.

17 June 2009 – Former Minister for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Felix Perera,addressedalettertothethenNavyCommanderWasanthaKarannagoda,requestingtherelease of three of the missing 11: Rajiv Naganathan, Pradeep Vishwanathan andT.RamalingamwhowerepurportedlyinthecustodyoftheNavy.195

2015

January2015–CriminalInvestigationsDepartment(CID)initiatedafreshinvestigationafterthechangeofgovernment196.

28Feb2015–StatementofCommodoreD.K.P.Dassanayakewasrecordedregardingthedisappearances.197

2016

TheCIDwhilstcarryingoutinvestigationsintothedisappearanceofthe11youthattheSriLankaMaritimeNavalAcademy,hadbeen anonymously informed that thevehiclebelongingtoJohnReid,oneofthe11victims,wasbeingusedbytheSriLankaNavyunderaforgedlicenseplate‘Navy2016’.198ACIDinvestigationteam,ledbyInspectorofPolice(IP)NishanthaSilvadiscoveredthesaidvehiclewithintheSriLankaNavalAcademy199.

192Ibid193ShamindraFerdinando“Ex-Commanderamong50navyofficersgrilledWartimedisappearances:*DKPtobeproducedincourttoday”(TheIsland,18July2017)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=168497>194ShamindraFerdinando“KarannagodainitiateslegalactionagainstnewChiefSinniahCaseinvolvingnavyinabductionstakesdramaticturn”(TheIsland,24August2017)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=170547>195ManeshkaBorham“AfterExplosiveRevelationsInCourtInNavy11YouthAbductionCase.”(SriLankaBrief,2September2018)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2018/09/after-explosive-revelations-in-court-in-navy-11-youth-abduction-case/>196“HowCDSbecamePrisoner9550andWelleSuda’sneighbour”(TheIsland,11December2018)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=195924>197“CIDrecordsstatementfromformerNavyspokesman”(DailyMirror,28February2015)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/cid-records-statement-for-former-navy-spokesman-65051.html>10t198NirmalaKannangara“AbductionOf11TamilYouthsTwistsAndTurnsInTheInvestigations”(DailyMirror,21August2018)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Abduction-of-Tamil-youths-Twists-and-turns-in-the-investigations-154315.html>199Ibid.

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TheNavywereunabletoproduceasingledocumenttoclaimownershiptothevehicletheywereusingwiththeaforementionedforgedregistrationnumber200.AlthoughtheNavyhaddeletedtheengineandchassisnumbers,thebrotherandbrother-in-lawofthevictimhadidentifiedthevehicle,whichhadbeenrepaintedblue,theoriginalcolourbeingwhite201.

The CID officers, after obtaining a court order from the ColomboMagistrate’s Court,examinedGemunuBaseatWelisaraforhiddenpartsofthevehicle,anddiscoveredaheapofvehiclepartshiddeninaroomadjacenttotheNavyIntelligenceSailors’Hostel.202Uponinspectionof the closed room theCIDwere able touncover72partsof adismantledvehicle,whichtheNavyinformedthemwerepiecesofavehicleladenwithexplosives,althoughnorecordsshowedthattheyhadinformedthepoliceorthebombdisposalunitofthevehicle.203

2017

March2017–Lt.CommanderChandanaPrasadHettiarachchialias‘NavySampath’akeysuspectintheincident,wentmissing.ItwasallegedthathewasprovidedRs.500,000andsmuggledoutofthecountryina‘FastAttackCraft’(FAC)ontheinstructionsofAdmiralWijeguneratne.204His disappearance occured at a timewhen therewere two specificrequeststohandhimovertotheCIDinMarch2017.Hettiarachchiwasalsoamongoneof the fivesuspectswhowas facing indictmentovertheassassinationof former JaffnaDistrictTNAMPNadarajahRaviraj andhisbodyguardSergeantLakshmanLokuwella,andacquittedbytheHighCourtin2016.205

12 July2017–FormerNavy SpokespersonCommodoreD.K.P.Dassanayake and fiveotherswerearrestedonchargesofaidingandabettingtheabductionsof11youth.206ColomboFortMagistrateLankaJayaratneorderedthemtoberemandedtill20October2017207.

10August2017–TheCID informedColomboFortMagistrateLankaJayaratneof theinvolvementofFormerNavyCommanderWasanthaKarannagodaintheabductionofthe

200Ibid201NirmalaKannangara“AbductionOf11TamilYouthsTwistsAndTurnsInTheInvestigations”(DailyMirror,21August2018)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Abduction-of-Tamil-youths-Twists-and-turns-in-the-investigations-154315.html>202Ibid.203NirmalaKannangara“AbductionOf11TamilYouthsTwistsAndTurnsInTheInvestigations”(DailyMirror,21August2018)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Abduction-of-Tamil-youths-Twists-and-turns-in-the-investigations-154315.html>204ShamindraFerdinando“CID:ANavychiefhelpedwantedmanfleeinFAC,Commandersdon’tgetinvolvedinhumansmuggling’Wartimedisappearances”(TheIsland,29April2018)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=183895>205Ibid.206LakmalSooriyagoda“FormerNavySpokespersonD.K.P.Dassanayakefurtherremanded”(DailyNews,9October2017)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2017/10/09/local/130662/former-navy-spokesperson-d-k-p-dassanayake-further-remanded>HewasarrestedoneweekpriortothevisitofUNSpecialRapporteurBenEmerson.207Ibid.

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youth who were detained at the Gunside Navy camp in Trincomalee, and allegedlytorturedandkilledsubsequently.208TheabductionwasalsoknowntoCommodoreUdayaKeerthi, D.K.P. Dassanayake, Lt. Commander Ranasinghe, former intelligence directorGuruge and other top Navy officials at the time. The CID alleged that Lt CommanderChandanaPrasadHettiarachchialias‘NavySampath’hadcommittedthemurders.209

2018

09January2018–CommodoreD.K.P.DassanayakeandfiveothersweregrantedbailbyColomboHighCourtJudgeManilalWaidyathilakeonstrictbailconditions.210

22February2018–ColomboFortMagistrateLankaJayaratneorderedtheCIDtoinformheraboutitsdecisiontoarrestFormerNavyCommanderWasanthaKarannagodaby05March2018.SuspectsinthecasearenamedasSampathMunasinghe,D.K.P.DassanayakeSumith Ranasinghe, Lakshman Udayakumara, Nalin Prasanna Wickremasuriya,Tammitta IhalagedaraDharmadasa,RajapaksePathiranalageKithsiri,KasthuriGaminiandMuthuwaHennadaArunaThusharawereproducedbeforeCourt.211

31 July 2018 – CID Director Shani Abeysekera alleged how former officials of theAttorneyGeneral’sDepartmenthadinterferedwiththeinvestigationscarriedoutbytheCID,andhadinstructedtheOICandhimselftorefrainfromquestioningcertainsuspectsregardingtheabductions.212

13August 2018–HettiarachchiMudiyanselage ChandanaPrasadHettiarachchi alias‘NavySampath’,themainsuspectinthecasewasarrestedbytheCID.213ThearrestwasmadebytheOICoftheGangRobberyUnitNishanthaSilvaatLotusRoad,Colombo.214Atthetimeofarrest,hewasinpossessionofseveralfakeidentitycards,oneofwhichwasused toget apassport.The suspecthadbeen impersonatingaguardnamedPolwatteGallageAshoka,andwasworkingatanestateinDompe215.

208“KarannagodatobeArrested!”(SriLankaMirror,12August2017)availableat<https://srilankamirror.com/news/4395-karannagoda-to-be-arrestedTheCIDfurtherinformedtheMagistratethattheincidenthadbeenreportedtoKarannagodabyintelligenceandthroughformerMinisterFelixPerera.209Ibid.210“SriLankacourtgrantsbailtoCommodoreD.K.P.Dassanayakeandothersarrestedforabducting11youths”(ColomboPage,9January2018)availableat<http://www.colombopage.com/archive_18A/Jan09_1515508626CH.php>211“Karannagodatobearrestedoverabductions?”(SriLankaMirror,26February2018)availableat<https://srilankamirror.com/news/7436-karannagoda-to-be-arrested-over-abductions>212“CIDDirectorrevealshowtopAG’sofficialimpededprobeonNavyabductioncase”(SundayObserver,5August2018)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/08/05/news/cid-director-reveals-how-top-ag%E2%80%99s-official-impeded-probe-navy-abduction-case>213CameliaNathanielandLakmalSooriyagoda“‘NavySampath’ArrestedandDetained”(DailyNews,15August2018)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/08/15/local/159770/%E2%80%98navy-sampath%E2%80%99-arrested-and-detained>214Ibid.215Ibid.

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15August2018–ColomboFortMagistrateLankaJayaratneorderedtheBankofCeylontoreleasedetailsoftransactionsbetweenMarch-May2017ofanaccountmaintainedbytheNavythroughwhichRs.500,000wasgiventoHettiarachchitofleethecountry.Hewasorderedtobe further interrogatedas tohisconnectionswhohelpedhimfleethecountryforashortperiod,andfurtherremandedtill29August2018.216

29August 2018– ‘Navy Sampath’was further remanded till 12 September 2018.217ColomboFortMagistrateLanka Jayaratneordered thearrestofChiefofDefenceStaffAdmiralRavindaWijeguneratneforhisroleinhelping‘NavySampath’evadearrest.218

27 September2018 – Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchiwas further remanded till 10October2018.219CIDofficials further informedtheMagistrate’sCourt that theywouldobtain a statement from the Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravinda Wijeguneratneregardinghisinvolvementinshieldingthemainsuspect.220

20October2018 – IPNishantha Silva appearing on behalf of the CID informedFortMagistrate Lanka Jayaratne that they have enough evidence to arrest AdmiralWijeguneratne221.

02November2018–ColomboFortMagistrateRangaDissanayakeorderedtheCIDtoarrestChiefofDefenceStaffAdmiralRavindaWijeguneratne222.

28November2018–AdmiralRavindaWijeguneratnesurrenderedhimselftocourt223.He is remanded till the 05 of December 2018 by Colombo Fort Magistrate RangaDissanayake.224

05 December 2018 – Colombo Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake granted Chief ofDefenceStaffAdmiralRavindaWijeguneratneconditionalbailincludingtwosuretiesof

216D.B.S.Jeyaraj“CIDTellsCourtthatEx-NavyChiefRavindraWijegunaratneGave5LakhsFromNavyFundto“NavySampath”theMainSuspectinMassMurderofAbductedYouthstoHelpHimEvadeArrest”http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/60332>217“NavySampathfurtherremandedin2008abductioncase”(ColomboGazette,29August)availableat<https://colombogazette.com/2018/08/29/navy-sampath-further-remanded-in-2008-abduction-case/>218“CourtordersarrestofSriLanka’stopmilitarycommander”(Economynext,29August2018)availableat<https://economynext.com/Court_orders_arrest_of_Sri_Lanka%E2%80%99s_top_military_commander-3-11703-10.html>219ShaviniMadhara“Disappearanceof11youth:‘NavySampath’furtherremanded”(DailyNews,27September2018)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/09/27/law-order/163843/disappearance-11-youth-%E2%80%98navy-sampath%E2%80%99-further-remanded>220Ibid.221“CIDSaysItHasSufficientEvidenceToArrestCDS:BeleagueredAdmiralMakesPublicAppearanceWithSirisena”(ColomboTelegraph,20October2018)availableat<https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/cid-says-it-has-sufficient-evidence-to-arrest-cds-beleaguered-admiral-makes-public-appearance-with-sirisena/10t222NimanthiRanasinghe“CourtordersCDS’arrest”(DailyMirror,03November2018)availableat<http://mirrorcitizen.dailymirror.lk/2018/11/03/court-orders-cds-arrest/>223“CDSarrested!”(SriLankaMirror,28November2018)availableat<https://srilankamirror.com/news/11742-cds-arrested>224Ibid.

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Rs. 1,000,000225. The suspect was warned by the Magistrate not to interfere withwitnessesorobstructthemandnottousethesuspect’sofficeasameanstointimidateanyofthewitnessesorinvestigationofficersoftheinquiryasitwouldreversehisbailconditions.226TheMagistratealsoconsideredarelatedmatteronintimidationfiledbyoneofthewitnessesoftheincident,GalgamageLaksiri,whichstatedthatthesuspecthadoncetriedtoassaultandshoothim,andexpressedhisconcernthatthepolicehadfailedtocarryoutanyproperinvestigationintothesaidcomplaint.227Onthebasisofthereportfiledby theFortPolice, theMagistratepointedout certainerrors in it,whichwere incontraventiontotheCriminalProcedureCode.228

2019

09 January 2019 –A key suspect in the ransom racket nicknamed ‘Annachchi’ wasidentified by two witnesses, Thyagaraja Parameswari and Thyagaraja Jaya,respectively.229 The casewas called before Colombo Fort ActingMagistrate PriyanthaLiyanage.TheMagistratefurtherorderedthatthesuspectswhowerealreadyinremandcustody in connection with the case, namely, Navy Lieutenant Commander PrasadHettiarachchi aka ‘Navy Sampath’, Navy minor officer Sanjeewa Senaratna and‘Annachchi’befurtherremandedtillthenexthearingdate.230AppearingonbehalfoftheCID InspectorNishanthaSilva reported that theprobe revealed that the suspectshadcommittedseveraloffencesincludingdemandingextortionmoney,andthattheyhadalsoidentified a further number of suspects in the case, and that the inquirywas still inprogress.TheInspectorfurtherinformedcourtthattheCIDhopestopromptlyfinishtheinvestigationprocessbeforesendingcasefilesforperusalbytheAttorneyGeneral231.

TakingintoaccountthesubmissionsmadebyCounsel,theActingMagistratepostponedthecaseuntil27March2019.232

22February2019–AsailorattachedtoKKSNavalbasewasarrestedbytheCIDforallegedlyabductingandkillingofthreeyouths(outof11youthsdisappearedin2008-2009)233

24 February 2019 – The Fort Magistrate impounded the passport of former NavyCommanderWasanthaKarannagodaaftertheCIDnamedhimthe14thsuspectinthehighprofile case of the abduction of 11 youth, and informed Court that the ex-Navy

225ShaviniMadhara“CDSreleasedonbail”(DailyNews,06December2018)availableathttp://www.dailynews.lk/2018/12/06/law-order/170515/cds-released-bail>226Ibid.227“CDSreleasedonconditionalbail”(DailyMirror,6December2018)availableat<http://mirrorcitizen.dailymirror.lk/2018/12/06/cds-released-on-conditional-bail/>228Ibid.229KavindyaPerera“Navyallegedyouthabductioncase:Suspectidentifiedbywitnesses”(CeylonToday,10January2019),availableat<https://www.ceylontoday.lk/columns/8/news-more/3771>230Ibid.231Ibid.232Ibid.233“NavalSailorArrestedforabductingandkillingthreeyouths”(adaderana.lk,22February2019)http://www.adaderana.lk/news/53390/navy-sailor-arrested-for-abducting-and-killing-3-youths

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Commanderisaflightrisk234.TheCIDalsoinformedtheMagistratethathadKarannagodaactedexpeditiouslyuponreceivinginformationoftheabduction,thelivesofthe11youthmayhavebeenspared.23525 February 2019 – Former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda filed aFundamental Rights Application in the Supreme Court seeking an interim orderpreventing him from being arrested in connection with the investigations into theabductionandkillingof11youthsin2008-2009.236

234“WANTED:Manhuntforex-NavyChief”(SundayObserver,24February2019)available<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/02/24/news/wanted-manhunt-ex-navy-chief>235Ibid.236“KarannagodafilesFRagainstarrest”(DailyMirror,25February2019)availableathttp://www.dailymirror.lk/top_story/Karannagoda-files-FR-against-arrest/155-162890.

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5.AbductionofKeithNoyahr,2008

Keith Noyahr, the then Deputy Editor of the Nation newspaper, was a well-knowninvestigative journalist.237 On 22 May 2008, at around 11 p.m, he was beaten andabductedbyanunidentifiedgangofmenandlaterreleased.238Hewasfoundbadlybeatenandhadmultipleinjuriesincludingheadinjuries.239Noyahrleftthecountryfollowingtheattackandtheinvestigationscametoanabruptend.240However,thecasewasreopenedin2015afterthechangeofGovernment.241

TimelineofInvestigations22 May 2008- Noyahr’s wife Roshini together with his colleagues of the Nationnewspaper gathered at the Dehiwala Police station to complain regarding Noyahr’sdisappearance.242It was reported that former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) AnuraSenanayakeassuredthecomplainantsthatNoyahrwouldreturnwithoutharm.243

23May2008–NoyahrwasfoundinDehiwala,notveryfarfromhisresidence.244Hewasunconscious and severely injured. 245He was then rushed to the Colombo NationalHospital.246

January2015-CriminalInvestigationDepartment(CID)reopensinvestigationsintotheabductionofKeithNoyahr’s.247

18February2017–ArmyMajorPrabathBulathwatteandtwootherswerearrestedovertheabduction.248

19 February 2017 – Two more military intelligence personnels, Warrant OfficerLasanthaWimalaweeraandCorporalNishanthaJayatillakewere arrested by the CID

237“TracingtheabductionofKeithNoyahr”(DailyMirror,2March2017)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Tracing-the-abduction-of-Keith-Noyahr-124755.html>238Ibid.239Ibid.240Ibid.241“SuspectinKeithNoyahrabductiononcenominatedfordiplomaticpost”(DailyFT,6March2017)availableat<http://www.ft.lk/article/601547/Suspect-in-Keith-Noyahr-abduction-once-nominated-for-diplomatic-post>242Inthepursuitofjustice(DailyNews,22February2017)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2017/02/22/features/108326/pursuit-justice>243“TracingtheabductionofKeithNoyahr”(DailyMirror,2March2017)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Tracing-the-abduction-of-Keith-Noyahr-124755.html>244Ibid.245Ibid.246Ibid.247Ibid.248“2moresuspectsremandedoverassaultonjournalist(HiruNews)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/154888/2-more-suspects-remanded-over-assault-on-journalist-keith-noyar,SriLankaarrestssoldiersoverjournalist'sabductionduringwar(Reuters,18February2017)availableat<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sri-lanka-rights-idUSKBN15X0LS>

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andproducedbeforetheMagistratesCourtofMtLavinia.249Theywerefurtherremandeduntil 3 ofMarch 2017 and were subsequently presented before an identificationparade.250

28March2017–Avansuspectedtohavebeenused intheabductionofNoyahrwasseizedbytheCIDfromahouseinPiliyandala..251PoliceMediaSpokesman’sofficestatedthat the house in Piliyandala belonged to awoman,who had been a friend ofMajorBulathwatte.252

5April2018–FormerDirectorofMilitary IntelligenceMajorGeneral(Retired)AmalKarunasekarawasarrestedinconnectiontotheNoyahrabductionalmost10yearsaftertheincidenttookplace.253Hewaschargedwithaidingandabettingtheabduction.254

18April2018–SeniorStateCounsel(SSC)LakminiGirihagamarevealstoCourtthattheformer Editor of the Nation Newspaper Lalith Alahakoon and the former ChairmanKrishantha Cooray had spoken to then President Rajapaksa and the then DefenceSecretaryGotabhayaRajapaksaonthedayoftheabductionandaskedthatNoyahrbereleased.255

2May2018–MtLaviniaMagistrate’sOrdersCIDtorecordastatementfromtheChiefoftheIntelligenceServiceSisiraMendisontheabduction.256

11June2018–CIDquestionedChiefofIntelligenceServiceSisiraMendisinconnectionwiththeassassinationofSundayLeadereditorLasanthaWickrematungeinJanuary2009andtheabductionandassaultofKeithNoyahrinMay2008.257

13 June2018–SSCLakminiGirihagama informedCourt that themilitary intelligenceheads are unable to provide the information requested for the investigations andrequestedthecourttograntpermissiontotheCIDtoobtaintheinformationataclosed

249“2moresuspectsremandedoverassaultonjournalist”(HiruNews)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/154888/2-more-suspects-remanded-over-assault-on-journalist-keith-noyar>250Ibid251“VanalledgedlyusedinKeithNoyahrabductionvanseized(DailyNews,30March2017)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2017/03/30/local/111985/keith-noyahr-abduction-van-seized>252ibid.253“PhonerecordsleadCIDtobigarrestinKeithNoyahrabductioncase”(SundayObserver,17February2017)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/04/15/news-feature/phone-records-lead-cid-big-arrest-keith-noyahr-abduction-case>254“Ex-militaryintelligencechiefarrestedoverjournalistabduction”(AdaDerana,5April2018)availableat<availableat<http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=46750>255“KeithNoyahrabductionandassaultcase:Retd.Maj.Gen.Karunasekarafurtherremanded”(DailyNews,19April2018)availableat<<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/04/19/law-order/148664/keith-noyahr-abduction-and-assault-case-retd-maj-gen-karunasekara>256Ibid.257“CIDquestionsEx-intelligencechiefCrimesagainstjournalists”(TheIsland,12June2018)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=186224>

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location.258Accordingly,theMagistrateissuedanordertotheMilitaryIntelligenceChieftogiveinformationtotheCIDintheofficialchambersoftheMagistrateon26ofJune.259

17 August 2018 – The CID obtained a statement from Speaker Karu Jayasuriya inconnectionwiththeabductionandassaultonNoyahr.260

17August2018–CIDofficialsvisitedformerPresidentMahindaRajapaksaathishometo record a statement from him regarding the phone calls received on the night ofNoyahr’sabduction.261TheCIDdecidedtoquestiontheformerPresidentafterSpeakerKaruJayasuriyawhowasthenamemberofRajapaksa’scabinettoldinvestigatorshehadphonedPresidentRajapaksatoaskhimtogetNoyahrreleased.262ThestatementbytheSpeakerwascorroboratedbytheCIDwhichtoldCourtthattheyhadcallrecordevidencethatMahindaRajapaksahadthencalledGotabayaRajapaksawhointurncalledformerIntelligenceChiefRetiredMajorGeneralKapilaHendawitharanawhothencalledMajorGeneralAmalKarunasekara,whointurn,takesthefinalcalltoMajorGeneralBulatwattewhowasbelievedtohavebeenpresentatthesafehousewhereNoyahrwasdetained.263

20August2018–TheCIDinformedtheCourtthattheformerPresidentRajapaksainhisstatementstatedthathecannotclearlyrememberthatKaruJayasuriyahadinformedhimregarding the abduction of Noyahr.264 The CID informed the Court that the formerPresidenthadtoldthemthathecouldnotatthetimeevenrememberwhethertherehadbeenajournalistnamedKeithNoyahrasmostofthejournalistsatthetimehadpublishedcynicalarticlesagainsthisregime.265

Further,thestatementobtainedbytheCIDfromNoyahrinAustraliawassummarisedbeforetheCourt.266TheCIDinformedtheCourtthatNoyahrhadtoldthemthat,whilehewasbeingabducted,hiscaptorshadcontinuedtoassaulthimanddemandedtoknowwhowassupplyinghiminformationforhisarticles,thesourcesbehindhisarticles,and

258KeithNoyahrCase:Magistrateordersmilitaryintelligencechieftohttp://www.colombopage.com/archive_18A/Jun13_1528904988CH.php259“KeithNoyahrcase:MagistrateordersmilitaryintelligencechieftoprovidenecessaryinformationtoCID”(ilankanews,14thJune2018)availableat<http://www.ilankanews.com/keith-noyahr-case-magistrate-orders-military-intelligence-chief-provide-necessary-information-cid/260“KeithNoyahrabduction:Evidencetobeledviavideoconference”(SundayObserver,19August2018)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/08/19/news/keith-noyahr-abduction-evidence-be-led-video-conference,>;“TheCIDrecordstatementatMR’shome”(DailyNews,16August2018)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/08/16/local/159819/cid-record-statement-mr%E2%80%99s-home>,“CIDtorecordastatementfromMRoverKeithNoyahr”(NewsFirst,17August2018)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2018/08/17/cid-to-record-a-statement-from-mr-over-keith-noyahr/>261“KeithNoyahrabduction:Evidencetobeledviavideoconference”(SundayObserver,19August2018)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/08/19/news/keith-noyahr-abduction-evidence-be-led-video-conference>262Ibid.263Ibid264“LawyerswatchCIDquestionMRoverKeithNoyahrabduction”(TheIsland,18August2018)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=189817>265“KeithNoyahrabduction:MRtellsCIDthatGotacouldorderanyone'srelease”(CeylonToday,21August2018)availableat<https://www.ceylontoday.lk/news-more/2316>266Ibid.

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the details regarding his spouse, children and his bank accounts, among others.267FurtherNoyahrhadtoldthemthathehadbeentakentotheBudawattahouseblindfoldedbefore stripping him and taking away his cell phone and his wedding ring.268Whilecontinuingtoassaulthim,oneof thecaptorshadreceivedacallandtothat, theyhadreplied‘okay,okaysir’andafterthat,theyhadstoppedtheassaultanddumpedhimataplaceinMountLavinia.269

27 August 2018 – Attorney-at-Law Shehan Silva, appearing for Major General AmalKarunasekara,toldtheMtLaviniaMagistrate’sCourtthathisclientknewabouttheSriLankaArmysafehouse inBaduwatta,GampahawhereNoyahrwasdetainedafterhisabduction.270TheMagistrateorderedtheCIDtorecordaspecialstatementfromMajorGeneral Amal Karunasekara, as a contradictory position had been taken up by thatsuspectinthefirstinstanceinopenCourtthroughhislawyer.271

10September2018–MtLaviniaMagistrate’sCourtpermittedtheCIDtoonceagainrecord statements fromFieldMarshall Sarath Fonseka and formerDefence SecretaryGotabaya Rajapaksa.272 The court also granted bail to Major General AmalKarunasekara.273HewasreleasedonthreesuretiesofRs.10millioneachandwasalsobannedfromtravellingoverseas.274

26September2018–MtLaviniaMagistrate’sCourtordered theCID to complete theinvestigationsintheabductionandassaultofNoyahrassoonaspossibleandtotakestepstodirectthecasetotheAttorneyGeneraltofilecharges.275TheCIDinformedthecourtthatstatementswereobtainedfromGotabhayaRajapaksa,SarathFonsekaand lawyerMohamed Jabir Mansoor who hospitalised Noyahr after he was released. FurtherstatementswererecordedfromfourofficersintheDialogCompanyonthemobilephonerecords.276

267Ibid268Ibid.269Ibid.270“MajorGeneralAmalKarunasekaraadmitsknowledgeofKeithNoyahrabduction”(DailyFT,28August2018)availableat<http://www.ft.lk/news/Major-General-Amal-Karunasekara-admits-knowledge-of-Keith-Noyahr-abduction/56-661722>271“KeithNoyarcoverupunravelsincourt”(NewsFirst,28August2018)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2018/08/28/the-keith-noyar-abduction-cover-up-unravels-in-court/>272“KeithNoyahrcase:CIDtoquizSF&Gota(SriLankaMirror,11September2018)availableat<https://srilankamirror.com/news/10413-keith-noyahr-case-cid-to-quiz-sf-gota>273Ibid.274Ibid.275Ibid.276KeithNoyahrcase:CIDaskedtowrapupinvestigations(DailyNews,26September2018)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/09/26/law-order/163677/keith-noyahr-case-cid-asked-wrap-investigations>CourtordersCIDtoconcludeinvestigationsinKeithNoyahrcaseanddirecttoAG(Colombopage26September2018)availableat<http://www.colombopage.com/archive_18B/Sep26_1537934383CH.php>

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TheCID furtherstated that they receiveda response to thequery sent to the currentDefenseSecretaryandtheresponseshavenotedthattheArmydoesnothaveanyrecordsontheBaduattaDetentionCentre.277

11December2018–TheinvestigationsintotheabductionandassaultonKeithNoyahrwere concluded and the case file has been directed to the Attorney General forinstructions.278

Thecaseistobecalledonthe11June2019.279

277Ibid.278Ibid.279“CIDconcludesinvestigationsintoKeithNoyahrcase”(NewsFirst,11December2018)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2018/12/11/cid-concludes-investigations-into-keith-noyahr-case/>

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6.MurderofLasanthaWickrematunge,2009Lasantha Manilal Wickrematunge was a well-known Sri Lankanjournalist and thefounderandeditoroftheSundayLeadernewspaper.280Hewasmurderedon8January2009whilsthewastravelling inhiscaralongAttidiyaRoad,Ratmalanaaround10.00ambyfourarmedassassinsridingmotorcycles.281

TimelineofInvestigationsThe initial investigations intoWickrematunge’s murder were conducted by the MtLaviniaPoliceandMirihanaPolice.TheKalubowilaJudicialMedicalOfficer(JMO)statedinLasantha’sautopsythatthecauseofdeathwasduetocraniocerebralinjuriesfollowingthedischargeofafirearm282.However,thereportsoftheGovernmentAnalystandProf.MohanSilvawhoperformedanemergencyoperationonWickrematungesoonafterhisadmission to theKalubowilahospital stated that therewereno tracesof anygunshotinjuries.283

15January2009–Atthe inquest intoWickrematungemurder,SonaliSamarasinghe,Wickremetunga’s wife requested the court to direct and facilitate an independentinvestigation into her husband’s killing with an international team of inquirers andforensicexperts284.ShefurtherrequestedinvestigationsbehandedovertotheCriminalInvestigationsDepartment(CID).285

19February2009–Mt.LaviniaMagistrateHarshaSetungapostponedWickrematunge’smurder trial by amonth until 19 ofMarch.286 TheMagistrate also instructed theMt.LaviniaPolicetoreleaseWickrematunge’scarandotherbelongingsthatwereremovedfrom the scene to his brother andThe Sunday LeaderManaging Editor, LalWickrematunge.287

15March2009–SonaliSamarasinghe,wrotetotheInspectorGeneralofPolice(IGP)askinghimtorecord‘veryimportantdetails’288knowntotheSriLankanPresidentandatleast one other senior governmentminister, based on theminister’s own admission,pertainingtotheidentityofherhusband’skillers.289

280“TopSriLankaneditorshotdead”(BBC,8January2009)availableat<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7817422.stm>281“DyingforJournalism:LasanthaWickrematungeofSriLanka”(Time,8January2009)availableat<http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1870440,00.html282EvidenceunfoldingbeforecourtsonLasantha'sMurder”(DailyMirror,28March2018)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Evidence-unfolding-before-courts-on-Lasantha-s-Murder-147877.html>283Ibid.284IsthepresidenthidingLasanthaWickremetunge’sKiller(Groundviews,26March2009)availableat<https://groundviews.org/2009/03/26/is-the-president-hiding-lasantha-wickremetunges-killers/>285Ibid.286Ibid.287Ibid.288Ibid.289Ibid.

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2 April 2009 – The Mt. Lavinia Magistrate directed the police to submit a fullinvestigationreportintothecaseby16ofApril.290

16April2009–ThepolicefailedtoproduceafullinvestigationreportintothemurderwhenthecasewascalledintheMt.LaviniaMagistrate’sCourt.291Themurdertrialwasfurtherpostponedto30ofApril.292

30April2009–Thetrialwasfurtherpostponedto11ofJunewhenitwascalledintheMt.LaviniaMagistrate’sCourt.293

21August2009–TheMt.LaviniaMagistratepostponedtheWickrematungemurdertrialfor3ofSeptemberduetothefailureoftheMirihanaPolicetoproducethenecessarydocumentstocourts.294TheMt.LaviniaMagistratealsowarnedthepolicetobepresentincourtatfutureproceedingsasthepoliceonseveraloccasionshadfailedtobepresentincourt.295

17 December 2009 – The investigation conducted by the Mirihana Police into themurderofWickrematungewashandedovertotheCID.296

26February2010–PitchchaiJesudasanofNuwaraEliyawasarrestedbytheTerroristInvestigationDepartment(TID)297afterinvestigationsrevealedthatWickrematungehadreceivedtelephonecallsfromfivemobilenumberspriortohisdeath.298TheSIMCardsofthose mobile numbers had been purchased using the NIC of Jesudasan.299 FurtherinvestigationsrevealedthatJesudasanhadlosthiswalletafterheconsumedliquorwithaSinhaRegimentsoldieroneKandegedaraPiyawansainAugust2008.300

290SunandaDeshapriya,“LasanthaMurder:NoPoliceprogressdespiteSriLankanPresidentpromise”(05July2009)availableat<https://sunandadeshapriya.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/lasantha-murder-no-police-progress-despite-sri-lanka-president-promise/>291NirmalaKannangara,LasanthaKilling–copsstillclueless”(SundayLeader,19April2009)availableat<http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20090419/news-4.htm>292Ibid.293Ibid.294NirmalaKannangara,“Lasanthacase:Policeorderedtobepresentincourt”(SundayLeader,23August2009)availableat<http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20090823/NEWS.HTM#top295Ibid296Asstatedinthecasefiledbythesuspectinthecaseagainstthestate-SC.FR.ApplicationNo:458/2010,availableat<http://www.supremecourt.lk/images/documents/sc_fr_458_2010.pdf>297“MysteryDeathofSoleSuspectInLasantha’sMurder-ASuddenDeathInCustodyOrAnotherExtraJudicialKilling?”(SriLankaBrief,22October2019)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2011/10/mystery-death-of-sole-suspect-in-lasanthas-murder-a-sudden-death-in-custody-or-another-extra-judicial-killing/>298“Asstatedinthecasefiledbythesuspectinthecaseagainstthestate-SC.FR.ApplicationNo:458/2010<http://www.supremecourt.lk/images/documents/sc_fr_458_2010.pdf>299“MysteryDeathofSoleSuspectInLasantha’sMurder-ASuddenDeathInCustodyOrAnotherExtraJudicialKilling?”(SriLankaBrief,22October2019)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2011/10/mystery-death-of-sole-suspect-in-lasanthas-murder-a-sudden-death-in-custody-or-another-extra-judicial-killing/>300Ibid

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27February2010–TheTID,actingontheinformationprovidedbyJesudasan,arrestedKandegedaraPiyawansa.301

19April2010–TheColomboMagistrateCourtgavetheTIDpermissiontodetainandquestiontwosuspectssaidtobeinvolvedinthemurderofWickrematunge.302TheTIDtoldthecourtthatinvestigationshadrevealedthatthetwosuspectswereinvolvedintheassaults ofRivira Chief Editor Upali Tennakoon and The Nation Deputy Editor KeithNoyahr.303

3December2010-ThejointinvestigationsthatwerebeingcarriedoutbytheCIDandtheTIDintothemurderwastransferredtothesoleauthorityoftheTID.304

13 October 2011–Jesudasandies under suspicious circumstances in prison.305Jesudasan’sfamilystressedthathewasahealthypersonandhadsufferednopreviouslyreportedillnesses.306ThepoliceclaimedthatJesudasandiedofaheartattack.307

6 September 2013 – Kandegedara Piyawansawas acquitted and released from allchargesbytheMt.LaviniaMagistrateRangaWimalasena.308

10 January2015 –Minister Rajitha Senaratne tellsmedia that the new Governmentwillreopeninvestigationsintothemurdercase.309

23 January 2015- The Mt. Lavinia Magistrate Mohammed Sahabdeen ordered theinvestigationintoWickrematunge’smurderwhichwasbeingcarriedoutbytheTIDtobehandedovertotheCID.310TakingintoconsiderationtherequestmadebytheAttorneys

301“NirmalaKannangara,‘FilesTakeOverbyMount–LaviniaMagistrate”(26September2016)availableat<http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2016/09/26/files-taken-over-by-mount-lavinia-magistrate/comment-page-1/302“LasanthamurdersuspectsinvolvedinassaultsonEditors–TIDtellsCourt”(AdaDerana,19April2010)availableat<<http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=7845>303Ibid.304“TIDtohandleLasanthamurder(DailyMirror,3rdDecember2010)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/tid-to-handle-lasantha-murder-8173.html>305“PolicegotoSleeponLasantha’sMurderInvestigationsonceagain”(SundayLeader,03November2012)availableat<http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2012/03/11/police-go-to-sleep-on-lasanthas-murder-investigation-once-again/>306“MysteryDeathofSoleSuspectinLasantha’sMurder-ASuddenDeathInCustodyOrAnotherExtraJudicialKilling"(SriLankaBrief,22October2019)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2011/10/mystery-death-of-sole-suspect-in-lasanthas-murder-a-sudden-death-in-custody-or-another-extra-judicial-killing/>307Ibid308“PolicegotoSleeponLasantha’sMurderInvestigationsonceagain”(SundayLeader,03November2012)availableat<http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2012/03/11/police-go-to-sleep-on-lasanthas-murder-investigation-once-again/>;“LastsuspectinLasantha’smurdergoesfree”(DailyFT,7September2013)availableat<http://www.ft.lk/article/186810/Last-suspect-in-Lasantha-s-murder-goes-free>309“SriLanka’snewpresidentpromises‘nomoreabductions,nomorecensorship’”(TheGuardian,10January2015)availableat<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/10/sri-lanka-president-maithripala-sirisena-promise-change>310“CIDtotakeoverLasanthaWickrematungeassassinationinvestigation”(NewsFirst,23ofJanuary2015)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2015/01/23/cid-take-lasantha-wickrematunge-assassination-investigation/>

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appearingonbehalfofthelateWickrematunge,theMagistrateorderedthatallrelevantinvestigationfilesbehandedovertotheCID.311

8October2015–ThepoliceheadquartersannouncedthatitseekspublichelptoidentifythesuspectsinvolvedinthemurderofjournalistWickrematungeandwasrequestedtocallthepolicewithanyleadsandinformation.312

17 February 2016 –The CID releasedcomposite sketchesof two suspects who arebelievedtohavecarriedoutthemurder.313

30 May 2016 – The case was taken up before Mt. Lavinia Magistrate’s MohammedSahabdeen.314TheCourtorderedtheArmyCommandertohandoverallinformationanddocumentsatarmyintelligencecampsrelatedtotheWickrematungeassassinationtotheCID.315

21June2016–TwocourtsofinquirywereappointedbytheArmyCommandertolookfor themissing document pertaining to themurder ofWickrematunge and PrageethEknaligoda.316 In a statement, the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) Commander pledged SLA’SfullestsupporttotheCIDinvestigations.317

15July2016–TheCIDarrestsPremanandaUdalagamaanofficeroftheDirectorateofMilitaryIntelligenceinconnectionwiththemurder.318UdalagamawasidentifiedasthepersonwhoabductedDias,Wickrematunge’sdriver,afterhisdeath.319

27July2016–Dias(Wickrematunge’sdriver)identifiedPremanandaUdalagamaatanidentificationparadeheldat theMt.LaviniaMagistrate’sCourt in thepresenceof theAdditionalMagistrateSulochanaWeerasinghe.320

311Ibid.312“PoliceseekpublichelpinLasantha’scase”(AdaDerana,8October2015)availableat<http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=32632313SketchesofLasantha’smurdersuspectsreleased(DailyNews,17thFebruary2016)availableathttp://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/02/17/local/sketches-lasanthas-murder-suspects-released314“ArmyorderedtohandoverLasanthaassassinationdocumentstoCID”(NewsFirst,30May2016)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/05/30/breaking-news-army-ordered-hand-lasantha-assassination-documents-cid/>315Ibid316“TwoCourtsofinquiry(COI)appointedtolookintoLasanthaandEknaligodacases”(HiruNews,21June2016)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/136058/two-cois-appointed-to-look-into-lasantha-eknaligoda-cases>317Ibid.318“10thDeathAnniversaryofLasanthaWickrematunge:WhatTheyDidToMyFatherAndWhy”(DailyMirror,9January2019)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/-th-Death-Anniversary-of-Lasantha-Wickrematunge-WHAT-THEY-DID-TO-MY-FATHER-AND-WHY-160794.html>319Ibid.320“Breaking:DriveroflateLasanthaWickremetungeidentifiesarrestedSLArmyOfficer,(NewsFirst,27July2016)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/07/27/breaking-driver-late-lasantha-wickremetunge-identifies-arrested-sl-army-officer-abductor/>

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29 July 2016 – Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mahinda Balasuriya, wasquestionedinconnectionwiththemurderinvestigationofjournalistWickrematunge.321

03August2016–CIDinformedtheMt.LaviniaMagistrate’sCourtthatthedetailsofthetelephoneinteractionsfromtwotelecommunicationcompaniesanddetailsfromtheArmyIntelligenceareyettobereceived.322TheCourtwasalsoinformedthatsuspectsarrested over the assassination of Wickrematunge are to be included in anotheridentificationparadeattheGampahaCourtsonthe8ofAugustovertheassaultofformernewspaper Editor Upali Tennakoon.323 The Magistrate also issued an order for thegeneralmanagersofthetwotelecommunicationcompaniestoreleasedetailsrequiredfortheinvestigationofthecaseandfurtherremandedthesuspects.324

11August2016–Aneyewitnessof themurderofWickrematungewaspresentedtocourtsbytheCID.325Thecourtfurtherorderedtheeyewitnesswhoisadifferently-abledindividual, tobesubmitted forahealthcheckbeforebeingtakenfor the identificationparade.326TheMagistratealsogavepermissiontotheCIDtoanalysethebankaccountsof63intelligenceofficialsinconnectionwiththeassassinationofWickrematunge.327

25August2016–WhenthecasewastakenuptheMt.LaviniaMagistrateMohammedShabdeenorderedtheChairmanoftheCreditInformationBureautoreleasethecreditstatusof41membersof theArmy IntelligenceUnit.328Further, theeyewitnessof themurderofWickrematungefailedtobepresentbeforecourts.329

08September2016-Mt.LaviniaMagistrateMohammadSahabdeengavepermissiontotheCIDtoexhumetheremainsofWickremetunga.330Theexhumationwastotakeplaceon the 27 of September2016, under the supervision of the magistrate of ColomboMagistrate'sCourtNo2.331

321“FormerIGPquestionedoverLasanthaWickrematungekilling”(NewsFirst,29July2016)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/07/29/former-igp-questioned-lasantha-wickrematunge-killing/>“CIDgrillsformerIGPBalasuriyaoverLasanthamurder”,(AdaDerana,29July2016)availableat<http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=36280>322“AllegedassassinofjournalistLasanthaWickremetungereturnedtoremandcustody”(NewsFirst,03August2016)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/08/03/alleged-assasin-journalist-lasantha-wickremetunge-returned-remand-custody/>323Ibid.324Ibid.325“BreakingNews:RemainsofLasanthaWickrematungatobeexhumed”(NewsFirst,08September2016)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/09/08/breaking-news-remains-lasantha-wickremetunga-exhumed/>326Ibid.327“Lasanthamurder:CIDtoreviewbankaccountsof63intelligenceofficials,”(AdaDerana,01August2016)availableat<http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=36472>328Ibid.329Ibid.330BreakingNews:RemainsofLasanthaWickrematungatobeexhumed”(NewsFirst,08September2016)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/09/08/breaking-news-remains-lasantha-wickremetunga-exhumed/>330Ibid.331Ibid.

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27September2016–TheCIDexhumesWickrematunge’sremainsforanewautopsy.TheremainsarehandedovertotheColomboJMO.332

22 September 2016 – When the case was taken up before the Mount LaviniaMagistrate’sCourt,theCIDinformedCourtthatastatementwasrecordedfromDIGVaasGunawardenaafteracourtordertothateffect.333

14October2016–AretiredSergeantMajorEdirisingheJayamannefromKegallewasfoundhangingathishomewithanoteclaimingresponsibilityforthedeathofjournalistWickrematunge.334Healsomentionedinhislettertoreleaseintelligenceofficer“MalindaUdalagama”who has been arrested in connectionwith regard to themurder.335 TheKegallePolicehadfailedtogettheSceneofCrimeOfficers(SOCO)towherehisbodywasfound.336Asaresultofthisfailure,Policeatthatpointcouldnottracefingerprintsontheex-Armyofficer’sbody.337Aninitialpost-mortemreportruledthattherewerenoexternalinjurieswhichsuggestedthathecommittedsuicidebyhanginghimself.338

19October2016–ThebodyofEdirisingheJayammanewasexhumedonarequestmadebytheCIDtotheMtLaviniaMagistrateforfurtherinvestigation.339

20October2016–TheCID requested theMtLaviniaMagistrates to conducta freshinquestintothedeathofEdirisingheJayammane.340

25October2016– A special judicial autopsywas performed at theKegalle GeneralHospital on the body of Edirisinghe Jayammane341 by ColomboChief JudicialMedical

332“LasanthaWickrematunge:Murderededitor'sbodyexhumedinSriLanka”(BBC)<https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37480880>333“ChiefsuspectLasanthaWickrematunga”(NewsFirst,22September2016)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/09/22/chief-suspect-lasantha-Wickrematunge-killing-remanded/>334“SriLankaarrestsarmyspiesovereditor'smurder(TheExpressTribune,20Feb2017)availableat<https://tribune.com.pk/story/1333106/sri-lanka-arrests-army-spies-editors-murder/,“ෙගල වැල ලා 'බ ූ

*+රා-ක හමුදා ෙසබළ සා56ෙ7 89ය5”(BBC,14October2016)availableat<https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/sri-lanka-37655631>335“RetiredarmyofficercommitssuicideafterclaimingresponsibilityforLasanthaWickrematungemurder”(HiruNews,14October2016)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/145216/retired-army-officer-commits-suicide-after-claiming-responsibility-for-lasantha-wickrematunges-murder>336“LasanthakillingprobespotlightonMilitaryIntelligencecommunity”,(SundayObserver,23October2016)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2016/10/23/columns/lasantha-killing-probe-spotlight-military-intelligence-community>337Ibid.338“Lasantha’sallegedself-confessedkillercommittedsuicide:Postmorterm”(SundayTimes,16October2016)http://www.sundaytimes.lk/161016/news/lasanthas-alleged-self-confessed-killer-committed-suicide-postmortem-212790.html339“LasanthaWkilling:Freshpost-mortemonex-sergeantMajor’sbody”,(SundayObserver,23October2016)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2016/10/23/news/lasantha-w-killing-fresh-post-mortem-ex-sergeant-major%E2%80%99s-body>340Ibid.341“LasanthaW.murdersuspect’ssuicidenote”(SundayObserver,16October2016)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2016/10/16/news/lasantha-w-murder-suspect%E2%80%99s-suicide-note>

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OfficerDr.AjithTennakone,SeniorLectureroftheColomboUniversityDrJeanPereraandJMOoftheKegallehospitalDr.RameshAlagiyawanna.342

27October2016–PremanandaUdalagamaisreleasedonacashbailofRs.50,000andthreesuretiesofRs.500,000each.However,hewasre-remandedduetotheabsenceofsureties.343Further,hewasbarredfromvisitinganyarmycamporgettinginvolvedinanyarmyintelligenceserviceactivities.344TheMagistratealsoimposedatravelbanonthesuspect.345

16January2017–TheCID informedtheMtLaviniaMagistratescourt thatSIMcardswhichwerefoundduringinvestigationshadbeenpurchasedfromastoreinPettah.346TheCIDfurthercitingthestatementgivenbyWickrematunge’sdaughtersaidthatshewasinformedbyherfatherthatiftherewastobeathreatonhislife,itwouldbebecauseofthepublishingofanexpose347ontheMIGaircraftdeal.348TheCIDalsoinformedthecourt that Wickrematunge’s driver, who was abducted, had been threatened not toprovidestatementsontheMIGdeal.349

20 January 2017 – Minister of Regional Development, Field Marshall SarathFonsekawasquestionedbytheCIDregardingthemurderofWickrematunge.350

20March2017–TheCIDfilingtheBreportontheinvestigationinformedtheMtLaviniaMagistratethataccordingtoastatementgivenbyFieldMarshallSarathFonseka,351anarmy intelligence team under the direct supervision of the former Director of State

342“LasanthaWickrematungeKilling:Judicialautopsyperformedonbodyofformerintelligenceofficer(NewsFirst,25October2016)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/10/25/lasantha-wickrematunge-killing-judicial-autopsy-performed-body-former-intelligence-officer/>;“LasanthaWkillingfreshpost-mortemexsergeant”(SundayObserver,23October2016)<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2016/10/23/news/lasantha-w-killing-fresh-post-mortem-ex-sergeant>major%E2%80%99s-body>343“Udalagamagrantedbail,re-remandedduetoabsenceofsureties”(DailyMirror,27October2016)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Udalagama-granted-bail-re-remanded-due-to-absence-of-sureties-118213.html>;“SuspectinthemurderofLasanthaWickrematungegrantedbail”(Colombopage,28October2016)availableat<http://www.colombopage.com/archive_16B/Oct28_1477632485CH.php>344Ibid345Ibid346“AssassinationofLasanthaWickrematunge–Crimescenefingerprintmismatch”(NewsFirst,16January2017)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2017/01/16/cid-presents-facts-pertaining-assassination-lasantha-wickrematunge/>347“ControversialMiGdealandtheLasanthaWickrematungaconnection”(NewsFirst,19July2017)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2017/07/19/controversial-mig-deal-lasantha-Wickrematunge-connection/>348“AssassinationofLasanthaWickrematunge–Crimescenefingerprintmismatch”(16January2017)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2017/01/16/cid-presents-facts-pertaining-assassination-lasantha-wickrematunge/>349Ibid350“LasanthaWickrematungamurdercase:SarathFonsekatobequestionedfurther”(SundayObserver,22January2017)availableat<<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2017/01/22/news/lasantha-wickrematunga-murder-case-sarath-fonseka-be-questioned-further>351“ලස;ත ඝාතනය ගැන ෙෆා;ෙ@කාෙග; Aකාශය5”(BBCSinhala,21January2017)availableat<https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/sri-lanka-38706919>

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Intelligence Service Major General Kapila Hendawitharana was responsible for themurder.352Afreshpost-mortemreportofLasantha’sdeathwasalsoproducedbeforethecourtwhichstated the causeofdeathwasdue toheadwounds causedby insertingamachine-operated object to his head 353 and not gunshot injuries as previously wasrecordedintheoriginalautopsy.354

19July2017–WhenthecasewastakenupbeforetheMountLaviniaChiefMagistrate,itwasrevealedthattheGovernmentAnalystReportsovertheWickrematungehomicidearestillpending.355TheMagistrateorderedtheCIDtoobtainacourtorderandretrievethe report in question from the Government Analyst’s Department and thereafterproduceitincourt.356

10August2017–TheMtLaviniaMagistrate’sCourtreadoutthesecondpost-mortemreportontheassassinationofWickrematunge.357Thereportcitesbluntforcetraumaasthecauseofdeath.358Twopostmortemreportshadbeenpresentedbefore courtswithregardtotheassassinationofWickrematunge–thecourtacceptedthesecondreport.359

12October2017–TheCIDinformedthecourtthatpalmprintscollectedfromthesceneof the crimes do not match other prints collected during the investigation from thesuspects.360

18January2018–TheCIDinformsthecourtthatintelligencemembersoftheArmy’sTripolicamphadbeenspottedaroundtheSundayLeaderofficeadaybeforeLasanthawasmurdered.361TheCIDfurtherrevealsinformationregardinganattemptbytheMt.LaviniaPoliceandtheTIDtodestroyvitalevidenceofthemurderinvestigation.362TheCIDfurthertoldthecourtthatthetelephonerecordsoftheArmyIntelligenceOfficerwho

352“LasanthaWickrematungemurder–Moredetailsuncovered”https://www.newsfirst.lk/2017/03/20/breaking-news-lasantha-wickremetunga-murder-details-uncovered/353“SpecialArmyintelteamkilledLasantha”(DaillyFT,21March2017)availableat<Thttp://www.ft.lk/front-page/special-army-intel-team-killed-lasantha-cid/44-604812>354SecretmilitarydeathsquadkilledjournalistLasanthaWickrematunge,CIDtellscourt”(Colombopage)availableat<<http://www.colombopage.com/archive_17A/Mar20_1490023831CH.php>355“LasanthaWickrematungemurder–Moredetailsuncovered”(NewsFirst,20May2017)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2017/07/19/lasantha-wickrematunge-homicide-government-analyst-report-pending/>356Ibid.357“LasanthaWickrematungekilling:Secondpost-mortemreportrevealsmore”(NewsFirst,10August2017)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2017/08/10/second-post-mortem-examination-reveals-journalist-lasantha-wickrematunge-died-due-blow-head/>358Ibid.359Ibid.360“WhatbethefateofLasanthaWickramatunga’smurdercase?”(NewsFirst,12October2017)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2017/10/12/fate-lasantha-wickramatungas-murder-case/>361Ibid362“CIDsaysPoliceandTIDtriedtodestroyevidenceofLasantha’skilling”(DailyFT,19January2018)availableat<http://www.ft.lk/news/CID-says-Police-and-TID-tried-to-destroy-evidence-of-Lasantha-s-killing/56-647605>

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committedsuicideclaimingresponsibilityforthemurdershowhewasinKegalleontheday of the murder.363 Further, it was revealed that the motorcyclesWickrematunge’sassassins were travelling were stolen few days before theassassination by blindfolding and abducting their owners, Balraj Ram PrakashandKumarasingham Vishnukumar,whilst they were travelling to Settikulam.364 Theywere killed and their bodies had been burnt a few days prior to Wickrematunge’sassassination by an unknown party and their charred bodies were found in theAnuradhapuraarea.365

02February2018–TheFormerCrimesOICoftheMt.LaviniaPoliceSISugathapalawasarrestedbytheCIDforconcealingevidenceintheinvestigationintoWickrematunge’smurder.366

14February2018–RetiredSeniorDIGPrasannaNanayakkarawasarrestedbytheCIDforconcealingevidenceinWickrematunge’smurderinvestigation.367

16February2018-CIDinformedthecourtthatformerSeniorSuperintendentofPolice(SSP)inchargeofMt.Lavinia,HemanthaAdhikari,whothenheldtheinvestigationsintothe murder of Wickrematunge had consented to make a statement regarding themurder.368TheCIDfurtherstatedthatinvestigationshaverevealedthatKalubowilaJMODrSunilKumara,whoheldthefirstpost-mortemexaminationofWickrematungewasarelativeof the arrested former seniorDIGNanayakkara and that the former JMOandseniorDIGhadexchangedtelephoneconversationsatthetime.369

21February2018–AccordingtoformerSSPAdhikari’sstatement,itwasrevealedthatDIG Nanayakkara attempted to conceal vital evidence of the investigation.370Nanayakkara had removed the original pages of the Grave Crime Information Book(GCIB) that contained information regarding the license plate numbers of themotorcycles Wickrematunge’s assassins were travelling.371 He further removedWickrematunge’s notebook and stated that itwould be handed over to the then IGP

363Ibid364“EvidenceunfoldingbeforecourtsonLasantha'sMurder”(DailyMirror,28March2018)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Evidence-unfolding-before-courts-on-Lasantha-s-Murder-147877.html>365Ibid.366“FormerMt.LaviniaCrimesOICdetainedoverLasantha’sMurder”(DailyNews,3February2018)<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/02/03/local/141843/former-mt-lavinia-crimes-oic-detained-over-lasantha%E2%80%99s-murder>367ExSeniorDIGPrasannaNanayakkaraarrestedoverLasanthamurder(AdaDerana,14thFebruary2018)http://www.adaderana.lk/news/45933/ex-senior-dig-prasanna-nanayakkara-arrested-over-lasanthas-murder368FormerpoliceOIC,DIGarrestedoverLasanthaWickrematunge'skillingturnintostatewitnesses“(Colombopage,17February2019)availableat<http://colombopage.com/archive_18A/Feb17_1518842896CH.php>369ibid370“LasanthaWickrematungeAssassination:CIDclosesinontopcop”(SundayObserver,25February2018)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/02/25/features/lasantha-wickrematunge-assassination-cid-closes-top-cop>371Ibid.

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JayanthaWickramaratne.372EvidenceobtainedbytheCIDhasproveda telephonecallfrom Nanayakkara’s personal landline to the IGP and from IGP’s command line toNanayakkara was placed at the time in question373. The original notebook ofWickrematungeremainsmissingtothisday,sourcesfromtheCIDbelievethisbookwaspassed on to a senior government official after which the notebookmay have beendestroyed.374

02March2018–TheMt.LaviniaMagistraterejectedthebailapplicationfiledbyformerDIGPrasannaNanayakkara.375TheCIDobjectedtograntingbailtothesuspectcitingitwouldhindertheinvestigations.376

15March2018–WhenthecasewascalledintheMt.LaviniaMagistratesCourt,theCIDinformed court that seven individuals from the Motorcycle Division of the ArmyIntelligenceUnithadbeenquestionedinconnectiontothemotorcycleusedtocarryoutthe murder.377 The Magistrate also permitted the CID to obtain a forensic report onWickrematunge’scellphone.378

01 June 2018 – The Former Crimes OIC of the Mt. Lavinia Police, Sub InspectorSugathapala’sattorneysrequestedcourttonamehimasawitnessintheWickrematungecaseonthebasisthathedidnothavethemensreaorthementalelementtocommitacrimebyhidingevidenceandthereforeshouldnotbenamedasanaccused.379

19 June 2018 – Reporting on the progress of the investigation to the Mt LaviniaMagistratesCourttheCIDinformedthecourtthatstatementshavebeenrecordedfromtheDirector of the State Intelligence ServiceKeerthi Gajanayake and FormerHead ofIntelligenceMaj.Gen.KapilaHendravitharana.380FormerDIGPrasannaNanayakkaraandFormer InspectorTissaSugathapalawhoare in custody for concealingevidencewerefurtherremandeduntilthe3rdofJuly.381

3 July 2018 – Former Police DIG Prasanna Nanayakkara andMt Lavinia Police Sub-InspectorSugathapalawerefurtherremandedtill9ofJuly.382TheCIDinformedCourt

372Ibid.373Ibid.374Ibid.375“MastermindbehindthemurderofLasanthaWickrematungerevealedincourts”(NewsFirst,2March2018)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2018/03/02/mastermind-behind-murder-lasantha-wickrematunge-revealed-courts/>376Ibid.377“LasanthaWickrematungemurder–Moredetailsrevealed”(NewsFirst,15March2018)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2018/03/15/lasantha-wickrematunge-murder-more-details-revealed/378Ibid.379“Lasantha’scasetobecalledonJune12”,(SundayObserver,3June2018)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/06/03/news/lasantha%E2%80%99s-case-be-called-june-12>380“LasanthaWickrematungemurder–Moredetailsrevealed”(NewsFirst,15March2018)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2018/03/15/lasantha-wickrematunge-murder-more-details-revealed/381Ibid382“LasanthaWickrematungemurder:FormerSeniorDIG,CrimesOICfurtherremanded”(DailyNews,04July2018)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/07/04/law-order/155796/lasantha-wickrematunge-murder-former-senior-dig-crimes-oic-further>

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that statements were recorded from former DIG Sisira Mendis, DIG PrasannaNanayakkara,andformerStateIntelligenceDirectorKeerthiGajanayake.383

16July2018–FormerPoliceDIGPrasannaNanayakkaraandFormerMtLaviniaPoliceSub-InspectorSugathapalawerereleasedonbailbytheMtLaviniaChiefMagistrate.384TheMagistrateorderedthereleaseonacashbailofRs50,000eachandtwosuretiesofRs1Millioneach.385Inaddition, theduowereorderedtosurrendertheirpassportstocourtandwerebarredfromtravellingoverseas.386

28 September 2018 – CID presented to Court statements recorded fromWickrematunge's first wife, brother, daughter, former Defence Secretary GotabhayaRajapaksaandformerArmyCommanderFieldMarshalSarathFonseka.387

08January2019–Thedatemarkedthe10thdeathanniversaryofWickrematunge.388

17January2019–TheCIDpresentedaprogressreportonthe investigation intotheassassinationofWickrematunge to theChiefMagistrateofMt.Lavinia.389Further, theCID’s Inspector of Police Nishantha Silva informed the court that according to theirinvestigations,thesamegroupofsuspectshadcarriedoutthemurderofWickrematungeandtheabductionandassaultofKeithNoyahrandUpaliTennakoon.390

Furtherhearingwaspostponeduntil10May2019.

383Ibid384“PoliceofficersaccusedofconcealingevidenceinLasanthatrial,releasedonbail”(NewsFirst,16July2018)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2018/07/16/police-officers-accused-of-concealing-evidence-in-lasantha-trial-released-on-bail/>385Ibid.386Ibid.387“LasanthaWickrematunge'smurdercasepostponeduntilJanuary17”(Colombopage)availableat<http://www.colombopage.com/archive_18B/Sep28_1538106211CH.php388Darkestday:10yearssinceLasantha(SundayObserver,24February2019)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/darkest-day-10-years-lasantha-wickrematunge-assassination>389“CIDpresentsprogressreportonLasanthamurderinvestigation(NewsFirst)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2019/01/17/cid-presents-progress-report-on-lasantha-murder-investigation/>390Ibid.

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7.DisappearanceofPrageethEknaligoda,2010PrageethEknaligodawasajournalistandcartoonistwhodisappearedonthe24January2010.391 At the time of his disappearance, Eknaligoda was known for his vehementopposition to theRajapaksa administration and active support ofopposing candidateSarath Fonseka in the2010presidential race.392His disappearance occurred just twodaysbefore the2010presidential election.393After theYahapalanagovernment cameintopowerin2015,freshinvestigationsintoEknaligoda’sdisappearancecommenced.394ProceedingsinrespectofEknaligoda’sdisappearancearepresentlybeingheardattheHomagamaMagistrateCourt,AvissawellaHighCourtandtheCourtofAppeal.395

TimelineofInvestigations.25 January 2010 – Eknaligoda’s wife, Sandhya Eknaligoda, complained regardingEknaligoda’sdisappearancetotheHomagamaPolice,adayafterhisdisappearance.396However,theHomagamapoliceinitiallyrefusedtotakedownthecomplaint.397Thepolicebeganinvestigationsonlytwoweeksaftertheinitialcomplaintwasmade.398

24February2010–Onemonthafterthedisappearanceofherhusband,Sandhya,toldtheCommitteetoProtectJournalists(CPJ)thatshewasunabletogetthepoliceorothergovernmentofficialstoactivelyinvestigatethecase.399

23March2010–ReportersWithoutBordersinanappealtothethenPresidentMahindaRajapaksa requested the release of the results of the police investigation intoEknaligoda’sdisappearance.400

HabeasCorpusPetitionintheCourtofAppealSandhyafiledahabeascorpuspetitionintheCourtofAppealinearly2010requestingthatthepolicelaunchathoroughinvestigationimmediatelyintothedisappearanceofher

391“MoreDetailsEmergeInEknaligodaCase”(SundayLeader,25December2016)availableat<http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2016/12/25/more-details-emerge-in-eknaligoda-case/>392“Govt.responsible'forPrageethabduction”(BBC,5March2010)availableat<https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/news/story/2010/03/100305_sandhya_mahinda.shtml>393“Prageeth:ApoliticallymotivatedCrime”(SundayObserver,20January2019)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/01/20/news-features/prageeth-%E2%80%9C-politically-motivated-crime%E2%80%9D>394Ibid395“EkneligodacasebeforeAvissawellaHConMonday:SixMilitaryIntelligencepersonnelseekbail”(TheIsland,16September2016)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=152164>396“Prageeth:ApoliticallymotivatedCrime”(SundayObserver,20January2019)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/01/20/news-features/prageeth-%E2%80%9C-politically-motivated-crime%E2%80%9D>397Ibid.398Ibid.399“NosignofSriLankanjournalistEknaligodaonemonthon”(24February2010)availableat<https://www.refworld.org/docid/4b9658fb23.html>400Cartoonistkidnappedtwomonthsagostillmissing(ReportersWithoutBorders,23March2010)<https://rsf.org/en/news/cartoonist-kidnapped-two-months-ago-still-missing>

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husband.401However, thepolicehaverepeatedly called forpostponementsof thecaserequestingtogivethemmoretimetoconducttheinvestigation.402Further,thepolicedidnotproduceanythinginthecourtsforyears.403

19February2010–SandhyaandtheirtwochildrenBandaraEknaligodaandSooriyaEknaligoda filed a habeas corpus petition in the Court of Appeal. 404DIG NandanaMunasinghe,HomagamaPoliceOICIGPMahindaBalasooriya,theAttorneyGeneralandPrageethEknaligodawerecitedasrespondents.405Thepetitionsoughtawritorderfromthe court directing the Police to produce Eknaligoda before the Court of Appeal. 406ChrishmalWaranasuriyaappearedforthepetitionerswhilethethenAdditionalSolicitorGeneral (ASG) Shavindra Fernando with State Counsel (SC) Shamindra WickramaappearedfortheState.407

14 December 2010 –The Attorney General informed the Court of Appeal that theColomboCrimesDivisionofthePolicehasbegunaninvestigationintothedisappearanceofEknaligoda.408TheAttorneyGeneralwascalledtopresentobjectionswithregardtothepetition.409However,theStaterequestedfurthertimeonthisday.410Thejudgesofthe Court of Appeal emphasized the importance of the trial and advised the State topresentobjectionstothepetitiononthenextcourtdate.411

25 June 2011 – The habeas corpus petition was taken up before Justice D.S.C.Lekamwasamandfixedforargumenton23ofAugust2011.412

23August2011–Whenthehabeascorpusapplicationwastakenup,theCourtofAppealdirected the Homagama Magistrate to give priority and inquire into the complaintregardingthedisappearanceofEknaligodaasspeedilyaspossibleandtoreporttotheCourtofAppeal.413

401Ibid402ReportoftheOHCHRInvestigationonSriLanka(OISL)availableat<https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/55ffb1d04.pdf>403Ibid.404“Ekneligodadisappearance:DecisiononincludingArmychief,DMIasrespondentsonOct12”(DailyMirror,29June2016)availableat<https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20160629/282497182972619>405Ibid406Ibid407Ibid.408Ibid.409Ibid410Ibid.411Ibid.412“EKNELIGODAHABEASCORPUSCASEONAUG.23”(SriLankaBrief,25June2011)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2011/06/ekneligoda-habeas-corpus-case-on-aug-23/>413“AppealCourtordersHomagamaMagistrate:GiveprioritytoEkneligodadisappearancecomplaint”(TheIsland,23August2011)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=33103>

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24ofApril2012-TheCourtofAppealgrantedmoretimetotheHomagamaMagistrateto conduct investigations into the disappearance of Eknaligoda.414 It was presentedbeforeCourtthattheHomagamaMagistrateiscurrentlyconductinganinvestigationintotheincidentandwillgiveadecisionon17ofMayonwhetherornottocalluponformerAttorneyGeneralMohanPeiris togiveevidence in thecase.415Therefore, theCourtofAppealdecidedtocallthepetitiononceagainonthe31ofMay2012.416

23December2012–TheCourtofAppealdecidedtotakeupthehabeascorpuscaseofEknaligoda after the Magistrate’s Court inquiry is concluded.417However, CounselChrishmalWarnasuriya,appearingforSandhyainformedCourtthatifanyproblemsorissuesaroseduringthemagisterialinquiry,hewouldraisetheissuesbeforetheCourtofAppeal.418

19October2015–TheCourtofAppealbenchcomprisingofJusticesVijithKMalalgodaandH.C.J.Madawala issuedanorderdirectingtheHomagamaMagistrates tosummonArmyCommanderA.W.J.CdeSilvaandtheDirectorofMilitaryIntelligenceCorpsandtheotherofficerstoinquireintothedisappearance.419TheCourtfurthergrantedpermissiontoincludethesearmyofficersasaddedrespondentsinthehabeascorpusapplicationandissuednoticeonthemreturnableforthe30ofOctober.420SunilWatagala, thelawyerrepresenting the interests of Eknaligoda, also informed court that recentinvestigationshaverevealedthat theabductionofEknaligodawasdonewiththeknowledgeofcertainarmyofficials.421

30October2015–TheCourtofAppealissuedanordertosuspenditspreviousorderissued on 19 of October directing the Homagama Magistrate to summon ArmyCommanderA.W.J.C.deSilva,theDirectorofMilitaryIntelligenceCorpsandotherofficerstorecordevidence.422TheArmyCommanderandDirectorofMilitaryIntelligencewhohadbeennewlynamedastherespondentsinthehabeascorpuspetitionsoughttimeto

414“HomagamaMagistrategivenmoretimeonEknaligodainvestigation”(AdaDerana,24April2012)availableat<http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=17861415Ibid.416Ibid.417“EkneligodahabeascorpuscasebeforeAppealCourt(SundayTimes)availableat<http://www.sundaytimes.lk/121223/news/ekneligoda-habeas-corpus-case-before-appeal-court-25929.html>418Ibid.419“AppealsCourtpermitstonamethearmycommanderandtheheadoftheIntelligenceunitasrespondentsintheEknaligodacase”(HiruNews,19October2015)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/118722/appeals-court-permits-to-name-army-commander-head-intelligence-unit-as-respondents-in-eknaligoda-case420Ibid.421“ArmyCommander,Director–IntelligencetobenamedaspartiesinEknaligodacase”(NewsFirst,19October2015)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2015/10/19/army-commander-director-intelligence-to-be-named-as-parties-in-eknaligoda-case/>422“CAsuspendsorderonarmchief,”(DailyMirror,31October2015)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/ca-suspends-order-on-army-chief-93419.html>

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fileobjections.423Accordingly,theCourtofAppealtemporarilysuspendedthemagisterialinquiryintothemissingjournalistuntilobjectionswerefiledbytherespondents.424TheBenchcomprisingJusticesVijithK.MalalgodaandH.C.J.Madawalapermittedthemtofileobjectionsbefore8ofDecember.425

12 October 2016 – The Court of Appeal bench comprising Justice KumuduniWickremasingheandJusticeLalithJayasuriyadecidedtoreferthehabeascorpuspetitionfiledbySandhyaandhertwosonsbeforeabenchcomprisingthePresidentoftheCourtofAppealon20ofOctober.426

23January2017–TheCourtofAppealdecidedto“layby”(pause)thehabeascorpuspetition filed by Sandhya . 427However, the Court of Appeal directed theMagistrate’sCourttogoaheadwiththeinquiryintoEknaligoda’sdisappearance.428

ProceedingsattheMagistrate’sCourtofHomagamaThe Magistrate’s Court of Homagama is presently conducting investigations into thedisappearance of Eknaligoda. In the period from2010-2015, therewas nonoticeablebreakthroughintheseinvestigations.

9November2011–FormerAttorneyGeneralMohanPeirismadeastatementattheUNCommitteeAgainstTortureinGenevathatEknaligodawasaliveoverseas.429

26March2012–HomagamaMagistrateT.G.S.A.Pererareservedorderfor17ofMaythedecision as to whether or not to call former Attorney General Mohan Peiris as awitness.430 The Magistrate reserved the order after the prosecution challenged thevalidityofthetranscriptcopyofthestatementmadebytheformerAttorneyGeneralinGeneva in 2011.431 Counsel for the complainant Sandhya Eknaligoda alsomoved thecourttocallaUNrepresentative,toascertainthevalidityofthedocument,ifitwasnotadmissible.432

423“EkneligodaHabeasCorpuspetitioninquirylaidby”(DailyNews,24January2017)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2017/01/24/law-order/105570/ekneligoda-habeas-corpus-petition-inquiry-laid?page=59>424Ibid.425“CAsuspendsorderonarmychief”,(DailyMirror,31October2015)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/ca-suspends-order-on-army-chief-93419.html>426“HabeasCorpusfiledbyEkneligoda’swifefixedforOct.20”(DailyNews,13October2016)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2016/10/13/law-order/95813>427“EkneligodaHabeasCorpuspetitioninquirylaidby(Dailynews,24January2017)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2017/01/24/law-order/105570/ekneligoda-habeas-corpus-petition-inquiry-laid?page=59>;“Eknaligodainvoluntarydisappearance:CAvacatesStayOrderonMCproceedings,(DailyFT,24January2017)availableat<Http://www.ft.lk/article/593473/ft>428Ibid429“EkneligodaCase-NotefromhearingatAppealCourttoday(SriLankaGuardian,31May2012)availableat<http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2012/05/ekneligoda-case-note-from-hearing-at.html>430“Ex-AGMohanPeirisaswitness:CourtwilldecideonMay17(SundayTimes,1ofApril2012)availableat<http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120401/News/nws_035.html>431Ibid.432Ibid.

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17May2012–TheMagistrate’sCourtofHomagamaissuedanordertosummonMohanPeirisfortestimonyregardingastatementhemadeinNovember2011.433

05June2012–GivingastatementbeforeHomagamaMagistrate’sCourt,MohanPeirisstatedthathedidnotknowmuchinformationregardingthecaseandthathedoesnotrememberwhich government department gave him information that Eknaligodawasalive.434

05 June 2013 – UPFA MP Arundika Fernando stated in Parliament that journalistEknaligodaislivinginFrance435

16 July 2013 - UPFA MP Arundika Fernando giving evidence at the HomagamaMagistrate’sCourtrevealedthatJVPMPSunilHandunettihadtoldhimthatEknaligodawasaliveandlivinginBelgium.436

08ofJanuary2014–HomagamaMagistrateY.R.C.NelumdeniyaissuedawarrantforformerOfficerinCharge(OIC)oftheHomagamaPolice,CharithJayasundera,ashehadfailedtoappearincourttotestify.437

2015 The Inspector General of Police (IGP) ordered a fresh investigation intoEknaligoda’sdisappearance438

07August2015–TwoformerLTTEcadresKanapathipillaiSureshaliasSatyaMasterand Sumathipalan Suresh alias Nagulan were taken into custody by the CID. 439Informationreceivedfromthemledtoseveralarmyofficialsbeing identifiedasbeingconnectedinthedisappearance.440

09August2015–SergeantMajorRanbanda,allegedtobeinvolvedintheabduction,wasarrestedbytheCIDatKurunegala441

433“EkneligodaCase-NotefromhearingatAppealCourttoday”(SriLankaGuardian,31May2012)availableat<http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2012/05/ekneligoda-case-note-from-hearing-at.html>434“FormerAGMohanhas‘noidea’ofreporter’sfate(DailyFT,6June2012)availableat<http://www.ft.lk/news/former-ag-mohan-has-no-idea-of-reporters-fate/56-90559>;“SriLankaofficialhas'noidea'ofreporter'sfate”(BBCworld,5June2012)availableat<https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-18332987>435“DisappearedJournalistEknaligodainFrance-MPArundhikatellsParliament”(HiruNews,16July2013),availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/60371/disappeared-journalist-eknaligoda-in-france-mp-arundika-tells-parliament>436“Video:HandunnettitoldmePrageethwasalive–Arundika”(DailyMirror,16July2013)availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/arundhika-says-he-relied-on-buddys-word-on-ekneligoda-32492.html?fbrefresh=refresh>437“CourtissueswarrantoverdisappearanceofEknaligoda”(NewsFirst,8Jan2014)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2014/01/08/court-issues-warrant-disappearance-eknaligoda/>438“SriLankadetainssoldiersincaseofmissingcartoonist(ThomasReutersFoundationNews,23October2015availableat<http://news.trust.org//item/20151023093657-akcpw/>439“Eknaligodaabductionanothersuspectincustody,(SriLankaBrief,2015)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2015/08/eknaligoda-abduction-another-suspect-in-custody/>440Ibid.441Ibid.

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13August2015–SergeantMajorRanbandaconfessedthatheinterrogatedEknaligodaattheGirithaleArmycamp.442HehadquestionedEknaligodaonapublicationtitled“thefamilytree”(pawulgaha)andhisallegedaffiliationswithformerArmyCommanderFieldMarshalSarathFonseka,443SergeantMajorRanbandafurtherconfessedthatonthethirdday Ekneligoda was taken away by a Major temporarily promoted to Colonel. ThisparticularColonelwasactingasthesecondincommandoftheCampatthetime.444

24August2015–LieutenantColonelSiriwardenaandthreepersonnelwerearrested.445AmongstthearrestedwereLieutenantColonelKumararatnewhowasinchargeoftheGiritalearmycamp,StaffSergeantRajapakseandCorporalJayalath.446

25 August 2015 – Military Intelligence Officers Priyantha Kumara and RavindraRupasinghewerearrested.447

12September2015–ArmySpokespersonBrigadierJayanthaJayaweerainastatementinformedthattheArmywouldextenditsfullestsupportinrelationtothedisappearanceofEknaligoda.448

28September2015–TheHomagamaMagistrate’sCourtgrantedpermissiontotheCIDtoentertheGiritaleArmyCamptoconductfurtherinvestigations.449

06October2015–TheCIDontheadviceof theAttorneyGeneralvisitedtheGiritaleArmyCamptoconductfurtherinvestigationsoverthedisappearanceofEknaligoda.450TheCIDissaidtohavemadeobservationswhereEknaligodawasallegedtohavebeenkeptandinterrogatedattheGiritalecamp.451

442“UnravellingtheEknaligodaabduction”(SundayObserver,16August2015)availableat<http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2015/08/16/fea15.asp>443Ibid.444“PrageethEknaligodaMurderProbeIntensifies”(SriLankaBrief,14ofDecember2015)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2015/12/prageeth-eknaligoda-murder-probe-intensifies/>445“Prageeth:“ApoliticallymotivatedCrime”(SundayObserver)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/01/20/news-features/prageeth-%E2%80%9C-politically-motivated-crime%E2%80%9D>Update:CIDsummonsfourarmyofficersoverJournalistEknaligoda’sdisappearance”(NewsFirst,24August2015)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2015/08/24/cid-summons-four-army-officers-over-journalist-eknaligodas-disappearance/446Ibid.447“Wearefacingmuchhardship–lamentwivesofjailedmilitaryintelligenceofficers”(NewsFirst,22January2016)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/01/22/wives-of-jailed-military-intelligence-officers-say-they-are-facing-much-hardship/>448“NointerventionofArmyintoEkneligodacase”(HiruNews,12September2015)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/116442/no-intervention-army-in-to-ekneligoda-case>449“MilitaryHierarchyYettoBeQuestioned”(TheSundayLeader,2015)availableat<http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2015/10/11/military-hierarchy-yet-to-be-questioned/comment-page-1/>450“CIDofficersvisitGiritaleArmyCampforinvestigationsoverEknaligodadisappearance(NewsFirst,6October2015)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2015/10/06/cid-officers-visit-giritale-army-camp-for-investigations-over-eknaligoda-disappearance/>451“MilitaryHierarchyYettoBeQuestioned”(SundayLeader,2015)availableat<http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2015/10/11/military-hierarchy-yet-to-be-questioned/comment-page-1/>

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22December2015–FormerPresidentMahindaRajapaksavisitedtheprisonhospitalinWelikadatomeetfivearmypersonnelarrestedfortheinvolvementintheabductionofEknaligoda.452

11January2016–WhenthecasewastakenupbeforetheHomagamaMagistrate,theCIDcomplainttoMagistrateRangaDissanayakethattheArmywasnotcooperatingwiththeinvestigation.453ThethenSeniorStateCounsel(SSC)DileepaPeiriswhoappearedonbehalfoftheAttorneyGeneralfurthersubmittedtoCourtthatbecausetheArmyhadnotfullycooperatedwiththeinvestigations,theprosecutorshavenotbeenabletoreceivevitaladministrativematerialpertainingtotheinvestigations.454TheMagistrateobservedthatiftheArmydidnotcooperatewiththeinvestigationincontraventiontotheCourtorder,theresponsiblepartiescouldbedealtwithunderSection185ofthePenalCodefordisobedienceofanorderdulypromulgatedbyapublicservant.455

13January2016–TheMilitaryIntelligenceCorpscampatGiritalewassealedbyArmyCommander Chrishantha de Silva to provide conditions conducive to theinvestigations.456ArmyspokespersonBrigadierJayanathJayaweerastatedthatateamofmilitarypolicehasbeendeployedtotheGiritaleArmyCampinordertoexaminecertaindocumentswhichhavebeenrequestedbythecourtoverEknaligoda’sdisappearance.457

25 January 2016 –The General Secretary of the BoduBala Sena (BBS) organisation,GalagodaAththeGnanasaraTherobehavedinanunrulymannerduringthehearingofthe Eknaligoda case in HomagamaMagistrate’s Court.458 Gnanasara Thero reportedlyattempted to intervene to speakonbehalfofmilitarypersonnelbeing investigated inconnection with the disappearance.459 The Magistrate had refused to permit theinterventionsincethemonkwasnotapartytothecase.460Themonkhadthenraisedhisvoice inside the courtroom in the presences of the Magistrate and officials from the

452“Mahindavisitsarrestedmilitarypersonnel”(HiruNews,22December2015)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/122585/mahinda-visits-arrested-military-personnel453“Eknaligodakilling:tug-of-wariscontinuing”(SriLankaBrief,19thJanuary2016)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2016/01/eknaligoda-killing-tug-of-war-is-continuing/454Ibid.455Ibid.456“GritaleArmyINT.CampsealedbyArmychief”(HiruNews,13January2016)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/123941/giritale-army-int-camp-sealed-by-chief>457JournalistEknaligodadisappearanceinvestigationsextended”(NewsFirst,13January2016)availableatat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/01/13/journalist-eknaligoda-disappearance-investigations-extended/>458“GnanasaraThero'ssix-monthjailtermforthreateningmissingjournalist'swifesuspendedforfiveyears”(availableat<http://www.colombopage.com/archive_19A/Feb08_1549647246CH.php>459“CourtordersarrestofGnanasaraThero”(DailyFT,26January2016)availableat<http://www.ft.lk/article/521203/Court-orders-arrest-of-Gnanasara-Thero460Ibid.

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Attorney General’s Department.461 Subsequent to this he also threatened SandhyaEknaligodaintheHomagamaMagistrate’sCourtpremisesonthesameday.462

09February 2016 –The CID officials informed the HomagamaMagistrate that theyreceivedevidence to theeffect thatEknaligodawhohadbeendetainedat theGiritaleArmy camp, was blindfolded and taken to a location in Akkaraipattu where he wassubsequently killed.463 The then Superintendent of Police (SP) of the CID ShaniAbeysekerasubmittingafurtherreporttoldthecourtthattheinvestigatorshavereceivedevidence that suspectsLieutenantColonelArjunaKumararatne,RavindraRupasinghe,andSergeantKanishkaGunaratnewereinvolvedintheabductionofEknaligoda.464ItwasfurtherrevealedthattheirtelephoneconversationshadconfirmedthatthesuspectshadtakenEknaligodatoAkkaraipattu.465

16 February 2016 – The two former LTTE cadres arrested in connection with thedisappearancegavestatementsasStatewitnessestotheHomagamaMagistrateRangaDissanayake. 466TheCID investigations furtherrevealedthat theSIMof thetelephoneusedduringtheabductionhadbeenboughtbyproducingtheidentitycardspreparedforoneofthetwoformerLTTEcadres.467

24February2016–ItwasreportedtotheHomagamaMagistrate’sCourtthattheCIDreceivedavoicerecordingsuspectedtobetheconspiracydiscussionoftheEknaligodaabduction.468SPShaniAbeysekerainformedthecourtthatthefirstconspiracymeetingtokillEknaligodahadtakenplaceon27August2008andthatthesecondsuspectinthecasehadparticipatedinthatfirstmeeting.469NineArmyIntelligencesuspectswerealsoproducedbeforethecourtandfurtherremandedtill8ofMarch.470

08March 2016 – TheHomagamaMagistrate Ranga Dissanayake ordered the ArmyCommandertohandoveralldocumentsbelongingtoSriLankaArmyinconnectionwith

461Ibid.462“SupremeCourtrejectsGnanasaraThero’sappealagainstprisonsentence”(DailyFT,6October2018)availableat<http://www.ft.lk/news/Supreme-Court-rejects-Gnanasara-Thero-s-appeal-against-prison-sentence/56-664215>463“CIDtellsHomagamaMagistrate:EvidenceshowsthatEkneligodakilledinAkkaraipattu”(DailyNews,10February2016)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2016/02/10/security/cid-tells-homagama-magistrate-evidence-shows-ekneligoda-killed-akkaraipattu>464Ibid.465Ibid.466“Astatementfrom2form2formerLLTEcardersattheEknaligodacase”,(HiruNews,17February2016)availableat<availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/126442/statement-from-2-former-ltte-cadres-at-eknaligoda-case>467Ibid.468“CIDreceivesvoicerecordingofEkanligodaabduction”(HiruNews,25February2016)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/127102/cid-receives-voice-recording-ekanligoda-abduction>469“Eknaligodacase:who’scoveringupfacts,asksmagistrate”(Srilankabrief,25February2016)availableat<Http://Srilankabrief.Org/2016/02/Eknaligoda-Case-Whos-Covering-Up-Facts-Asks-Magistrate/>470“CIDreceivesvoicerecordingofEkanligodaabduction”(HiruNews,25February2016)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/127102/cid-receives-voice-recording-ekanligoda-abduction>

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theinvestigationsintotheabductionofEknaligoda.471TheArmyCommanderwasalsoordered not to destroy the documents maintained at Giritale Army camp whereEknaligodawassuspectedtohavebeendetained.472SPShaniAbeysekerainformedthecourt that a proper investigation had not taken placewith regard to the incident till2015.473 He said with the CID taking over investigations, evidence is surfacing thatEknaligoda had been murdered.474 The Magistrate ordered police to expedite theinvestigationsintotheEknaligodacaseandorderedtofurtherremandthesuspects.475

05April2016–SPShaniAbeysekeraoftheCIDinformedtheHomagamaMagistratethattheninthsuspectwhowasremandedovertheabductionofEknaligoda,haschangedhissignature.476HefurthermentionedthattheyhavereceivedinformationthatEknaligodahadbeentakentoaplaceinAkkaraipattuinJanuary2010andthesuspectshaveobtainedfuelfromafillingstationbelongingtotheSriLankaArmy.477HeinformedCourtthatthesignaturewasfoundfromdocumentsoftheSriLankaArmyfillingstation.478

23May2016–TheHomagamaMagistrateRangaDissanayakefurtherremandedsevensuspectstakenintocustodyinconnectionabductionanddisappearanceofEknaligoda.479SPShaniAbeysekera,makingastatementbeforethecourt,statedthatareportobtainedfromtheArmyCommandergivingdetailsof thesoldierswhovisitedtheAkkaraipattuarmycampandlefton25January2010hadgonemissing.480HealsosaidastatementhadbeenobtainedfromCaptainWickremesinghe,whowasinchargeofthecamponthedayinquestionandthathehadidentifiedsomeofthesignaturesontheattendanceregisteron the 26 January 2010. 481 The Magistrate ordered the CID to conduct furtherinvestigationsandsubmitareporttocourton7ofJune.482

27May2016TheHomagamaMagistrateRangaDissanayakegrantedbailtothesecondsuspectLieutenantColonelPrabodhaSiriwardena.483HewasreleasedoncashbailofRs2millionandsuretybailofRs6millionandadditionallywassubjectedtoaforeigntravelbanandorderedtoappearbeforetheCIDeverySunday.484

471Ibid.472“ArmyCommanderorderedtohandoverdocuments”(DailyNews,9thMarch2016)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2016/03/09/security/army-commander-ordered-hand-over-documents473Ibid.474Ibid475Ibid476“Eknaligodaabduction:suspectshavechangedtheirsignature–ASP”(DailyNews,9April2016)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2016/04/09/security/78713>477“Ekneligodaabduction:suspectshavechangedtheirsignature–ASP”(DailyNews,9April2016)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2016/04/09/security/78713>478Ibid.479“Ekneligodadisappearance:suspectsfurtherremanded”(TheIsland,24May2016)availableat<http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=145793>480Ibid.481Ibid.482Ibid.483Ibid.484“Ekanaligodacase:Lieutenantcolonelbailedout”(HiruNews,27May2016)availableat<<http://www.hirunews.lk/134149/ekanaligoda-case-lieutenant-colonel-bailed-out>

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21June2016–TheSriLankaArmyHeadquartersstatedthattwocourtsofinquiryhavebeenestablishedto locatethedocumentationbelievedtohavebeenmisplacedduringinvestigations into the killings of Journalists Lasantha Wickrematunge and PrageethEknaligoda.485

24August2016–TheCIDinformedtheHomagamaMagistrates’CourtthatEknaligodahadnolinkstotheLTTEneitherhadhefundedthemnorwasthereanylegalactiontakenagainsthimforterroristactivities.486

06September2016–SSCDileepaPeirisappearingonbehalfoftheAttorneyGeneral’sDepartment informed the Homagama Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake that the CIDinvestigationshadrevealedthatSergeantPremanandaUdalagama,whoisinremandoncharges in themurder of Sunday Leader Editor LasanthaWickrematunge, guided theteaminEkeneligoda’sabduction.487SSCPeirisinformedCourtthatontwooccasions,themissingjournalistEknaligodawassubjectedtoabduction;onceinAugust2009andoncein January2010.488HesubmittedtoCourt that investigationspertainingto telephoneconversations had revealed that Sergeant Udalagama was allegedly involved incoordinatingthesetwoincidents.489

19September2016–Fourmilitaryintelligenceofficersarrestedinconnectionwiththedisappearance were granted bail by the Avissawella High Court.490 The High CourtreleasedthemoncashbailofRs.500,000eachandtwopersonalsuretiesofRs.3million.ThesuspectswerealsoorderedtoappearbeforetheCIDeverySunday.491

23 October 2016 – The first suspect Army Intelligence Officers Lieutenant ColonelShammiArjunaKumararatneandthirdsuspectStaffSargentRajapaksaMudiyanselagePriyanthaKumaraRajapaksa aliasNathanwere granted bail by theAvissawellaHighCourtJudgeAmalThiakarathna.492ThesuspectswerebailedoutonacashbailofRs.1.5million and two sureties of Rs 3 million each.493 It was reported that the Attorney

485PreliminarycourtsestablishedtolocatedocumentsinEknaligoda,Wickrematungeinvestigations”(NewsFirst,21June2016)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2016/06/21/preliminary-courts-established-locate-documents-eknaligoda-wickrematunge-investigations/>486“CIDinformscourtEkneligodahadnolinkswithLTTE”(DailyNews,24August2016)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2016/08/24/law-order/91270>487SuspectinLasanthamurderallegedlyinvolvedinEkneligodaabduction”(DailyNews,7September2016)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2016/09/07/law-order/92557?page=49&qt-popular_articles=1>488Ibid.489Ibid.490“Eknaligodadisappearance:Twomoreintelligenceofficersgetbail”(DailyNews,21Feb2019)availableat<availableat<http://www.dailymirror.lk/116125/Eknaligoda-caes-Suspects-to-remain-in-remand>491“4suspectsintelligenceofficersofthePrraeethEknaligodacase,grantedbail”(HiruNews,19September2016)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/143338/4-suspected-intelligence-officers-prageeth-eknaligoda-case-granted-bail>492“Twomorearmyintelligenceofficersconnectedtoprageetheknaligodacasegrantedbail”(HiruNews,24October2016)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/145961/two-more-army-intelligence-officers-connected-to-prageeth-eknaligoda-case-granted-bail>493Ibid.

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General’sDepartmentobjectedtobailbeinggrantedbecausetherewasclearevidencetotestifytotheirdirectinvolvementsintheabductionandillegaldetentionofEknaligoda.494

08November2016–TheAwisawellaHighCourtsgrantedbailtothelasttworemainingmilitaryintelligenceofficersinremandcustodyinconnectionwiththedisappearanceofEknaligoda.495 The High Court Judge Amal Thilakaratna released the fourth and fifthsuspects sergeant Major Wadugedara Winnie Nilanjan and Corporal SenevirathneMudiyanselageRavindraRupasenaonacashbailofRs.1millionandtwosuretiesofRs.3million.496

January2018–SandhyahandedoveralettertoArmyCommanderLieutenantGeneralMaheshSenanayakerequestinghisassistanceintheprobeintothedisappearanceofherhusband.497Intheletter,Sandhyanotedthatithasbeeneightyearssinceherhusbandhaddisappearedon24of January2010,but that shehad received littleornohelp intracingwhathadhappenedtoEknaligoda.498Sheaccusedthesystemof favouringtheguiltywhilecontinuouslypenalisingthevictims.499

21September2018–TheCIDarrestedtheLieutenantColoneloftheArmyIntelligenceUnitEranthaPeiriswhenhearrivedattheCIDtorecordastatement.500Hewasarrestedontwocharges:fortheinvolvementintheabductionandreleaseofEknaligodaonthe8ofAugust2009andfortheabductionanddisappearanceofEknaligodasincethe24thofJanuary2010.501EranthaPeiriswasproducedbeforetheHomagamaMagistrateCourtonthefollowingdayandwasfurtherremandeduntil28ofSeptember.502

494“PrageethAbductioncase:bailgiventoaccusedignoringAG’sadvice”(SriLankaBrief,27October2016)availableat<http://srilankabrief.org/2016/10/prageeth-abduction-case-bail-given-to-accused-ignoring-ags-advice/>495“Twomorearmyintelligenceofficersconnectedtoprageetheknaligodacasegrantedbail”(HiruNews,24October2016)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/145961/two-more-army-intelligence-officers-connected-to-prageeth-eknaligoda-case-granted-bail>496“TwomoreintelligenceofficersgetbailinEknaligodacase”(AdaDerana,8November2016)availableat<http://www.adaderana.lk/news/37755/-two-more-intelligence-officers-get-bail-in-eknaligoda-case>497“WifeseeksarmysupportprobingEkneligodacase”(DailyNews,18January2018)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/01/18/local/140307/wife-seeks-army-support-probing-ekneligoda-case>498“WifeseeksarmysupportprobingEkneligodacase”(DailyNews,18January2018)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/01/18/local/140307/wife-seeks-army-support-probing-ekneligoda-case>499Ibid.500“Ekneligodadisappearancecase,Ltcolonelremanded”(DailyNews22September2018)availableat<http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/09/22/local/163377/ekneligoda-disappearance-case-lt-colonel-remanded>501“EkneligoacaseheardinMagistratesCourt”(NewsFirst)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2018/09/21/journalist-ekneligoda-case-heard-in-magistrates-court/>502“TwoCOIappointedtolookintoLasanthaandEknaligodacases”(HiruNews,21June2016)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/136058/two-cois-appointed-to-look-into-lasantha-eknaligoda-cases>

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30September2018–Sandhyaspeakingatamediaconferencevowedtolaunchaseriesofprotestsfor60daystoshowherdiscontentagainstthegovernment’sattempttohold-upinvestigationsintohiscase.503

18November2018–InspectorofPolice(IP)NishanthaSilvaoftheCIDwhowastheleadinvestigatorinhighprofilecasessuchasthemurderofLasanthaWickrematungeandthedisappearance of Eknaligoda was transferredwith immediate effect to the Negombodivisiononservicerequirements.504IGPPujithJayasunderaisreportedtohaveorderedthetransfer.505

20th November2018 – Sri Lankan police chief cancelled his decision to transfer IPNishanthaSilvaaftertheNationalPoliceCommissionsoughtareportonthetransfer.506

December2018 – Itwas reported that the CID is to seek the advice of theAttorneyGeneraltofilelegalactionagainstmilitaryintelligenceofficersthatstandaccusedintheabductionanddisappearanceofEknaligoda.507

24January2019-.ThedaymarkstheninthanniversaryofthekidnappingofEkneligoda.508 Sandhya staged a sit-in protest in front of the President’s office, demanding hisadministration bring to justice the perpetrators responsible for her husband’sdisappearancenineyearsago.509

Sandhya ina letterwritten toPresidentMaithripalaSirisena requestednot tograntapresidentialpardontoGeneralSecretaryoftheBBCGnanasaraThero,whoisservinga6yearprisonsentenceforcontemptofcourt.510Sandhyainherletterpointedoutthatsincethecontemptofcourtchargewasrelatedtothecaseofherhusband'sdisappearance,pardoningtheTherawouldexertundueinfluenceonthecaseandotherrelatedcases.511

503“SandyaEknaligodatoprotestdelayininvestigations”(SundayObserver,30September2018)availableat<http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/09/30/news/sandya-eknaligoda-protest-delay-investigations>504“SriLankaPolicereversedecisiontoremovetopdetectiveprobingallegedcrimebyRajapaksafamily”(FreepressJournalist,20November2018)availableat<<https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/sri-lanka-police-reverse-decision-to-remove-top-detective-probing-alleged-crimes-by-rajapaksa-family/1400061>505“Policechiefcancelscontroversialtransfersofseniorpoliceinspector(Colombopage,20November2018)availableat<http://www.colombopage.com/archive_18B/Nov20_1542693519CH.php>506“IGPterminatesCIDIPNishantha’stransfer(NewsFirst,20Nov2018)availableat<https://www.newsfirst.lk/2018/11/20/igp-terminates-cid-ip-nishanthas-transfer/>;“policechiefcancelscontroversialtransferofsenorpoliceinspector”(Colomopage,20November2018)availableat<http://www.colombopage.com/archive_18B/Nov20_1542693519CH.php>507“ShowdownbetweenCIDandmilitary(TheMorning,30December2018)availableat<http://www.themorning.lk/showdown-between-cid-and-military/>508“SriLankansdemandjusticeforslain,abductedjournalists(APnews)availableat<https://www.apnews.com/5a030e80f71d47b186094da1512c4b38509Ibid.510“SandyaOpposespresidentialpardontoGansarathera”(SriLankaMirror)availableat<https://srilankamirror.com/news/12731-sandya-opposes-presidential-pardon-to-gnanasara-thera511Ibid

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The Case against Gnanasara Thera for Threatening and IntimidatingSandhyaEknaligoda26January2016–GnanasaraTherawasarrestedforthreateningSandhyaEknaligodaintheHomagamaMagistrate’sCourtPremises.512

14 June2018–GnanasaraTherawas foundguiltyof threateningSandhya inside theHomagama Magistrate’s court premises.513 Homagama Magistrate Udesh RanatungadeliveringthejudgementsentencedtheTheratooneyear’srigorousimprisonmenttobeended in 6 months and a fine of Rs.3,000. The Thera was also ordered to paycompensationofRs.50,000.514

15June2018–LawyersforGnanasaraTherafiledanappealrequestingtheTheratobeacquittedandreleased.515

25 June 2018 – Sandhya Eknaligoda filed a complaint to the CID that she is beingthreatenedandharassedviasocialmediasinceGnanasaraTherawasjailed.516

8February2019 –Considering theappeal filedbyGnanasaraThera, theHomagamaHigh Court judge Amal Ranaraj suspended the sentence of 6 months rigorousimprisonmentforaperiodoffiveyears.517ThejudgealsoupheldtheguiltyverdictagainstGnanasara Thera delivered by the Homagama Magistrate's Court.518 The Thero iscurrentlyservingasix-yearjailtermafterbeingconvictedofcontemptofcourt.519

512“BBSgeneralSecretaryGanasaraTheraRe-remanded”(HiruNews,2016)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/126415/bbs-general-secretary-gnanasara-thera-re-remanded>513“VenGnansarasentencedtoRigorousImprisonment”(HiruNews,14June2018)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/193048/ven-gnanasara-sentenced-to-rigorous-imprisonment>514Ibid.515“GnansaraThera’sLawyerssubmitappeal(HiruNews,15June2018)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/193128/gnanasara-theras-lawyers-submit-appeal>516“SandyaEknaligodagoestoCID”(HiruNews,25June2018)availableat<http://www.hirunews.lk/193871/sandya-eknaligoda-goes-to-cid>517“HomagamaHighCourtsuspendssixmonthsentenceofGnanasaraTherotofiveyearsinSandhyaEkneligodacase”(SundayTimes)availableat<http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1069163/homagama-high-court-suspends-six-month-sentence-of-gnanasara-thero-to-five-years-in-sandya-ekneligoda-case>518Ibid519“GalagodaAththeTherogets6yearjailtermforcontemptofCourt”(DailyFT,9August2018)availableat<http://www.ft.lk/front-page/Galagoda-Aththe-Thero-gets-6-year-jail-term-for-contempt-of-court/44-660560>