Protests have erupted over the removal of indictments against a former Navy commander accused of forcibly abducting and disappearing 11 people, including youths.
The families of the missing persons staged a silent protest in front of the Colombo Court of Appeal yesterday (29) against the Attorney General’s decision to withdraw the indictment against former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda.
Will the writ petition filed by the relatives of the missing persons against the appointment of Sanjaya Rajaratnam, who was appointed as the Attorney General after Gotabhaya Rajapaksa became the President, be allowed to be heard during the protest? Isn’t it The bench of Justices Sobhitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola directed that the order be issued on November 01.
Speaking to the media on behalf of the relatives of the 11 missing persons, Jennifer Weerasinghe alleged that the Attorney General’s Department officials who should have represented the victims were representing the accused.
Former Navy Commander Admiral of the Field Wasantha Kumara Jayadeva has filed 167 indictments, 166 witnesses and 64 indictments against the abduction, extortion and disappearance of 11 men living in Colombo during the height of the war in 2008-2009. The Attorney General had informed the Colombo High Court and the Court of Appeal that the case against Karannagoda would not be continued.
Kasturi Arachchila’s John Reit, Anthony Kasturi Arachchi, Rajiv Naganathan, Pradeep Vishwanathan, Mohammad Sajith, Tilakeshwaram Ramalingam, Jamaldin Dylan, Amalan Leone, Roshan Leone, Kanakarajah Jagan, and Mohammad Ali Anwar have been abducted. Investigations revealed that the navy officers had extorted money from their parents to release the abducted youths. According to the CID, several of the abductees were killed in Colombo and another at the Navy’s Trincomalee Gun Side Camp.
Naval Intelligence Officer Lieutenant Commander Hettiarachchi Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, Naval Media Spokesperson and Deputy Director of Naval Operations Kamkanamge Piyasena Dasan, Special Intelligence Officer Ihalagedara Dharmadasa, Rajapaksa Pathirana’s Kithsiri, Kasthuriarachchige Gamini, Master Chief Minor Officer Muthuvahennadige Aruna Thushara Mendis, former Navy Commander Karannagoda’s bodyguard Lieutenant Commander Munasinghearachchi’s Nilantha Sampath Munasinghe.
Another accused, Rear Admiral DKP Dasanayake, has retired from the Navy with all honors without any investigation. The Navy has also announced that a salute was held for the retirement of Dasanayake, a former Navy Spokesman who joined the service in 1987.