COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s highest-ranking military officer was remanded by acourt Wednesday after weeks evading arrest for allegedly protecting thechief suspect in the murder of 11 people during the civil war.
The Colombo Fort magistrate ordered that Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne,the country’s military chief, be held in custody for a week pendinginvestigations into the abduction and murder of the young men between 2008and 2009.
The magistrate denied bail for Wijegunaratne after it emerged he tried toabduct a key witness over the weekend and sought to have an investigatorremoved from the case.
“I am denying bail because in your position you are able to influencewitnesses and disrupt the investigations,” Magistrate Ranga Dassanayaketold a packed courthouse.
Wijegunaratne, who appeared in full military regalia, has denied anyconnection to the murders.
Wijegunaratne’s bodyguards earlier shoved journalists trying to photographthe chief of defence staff as he entered the courtroom.Earlier in the day, Wijegunaratne surrendered after weeks of ignoring courtsummons.
Investigators told the court that Wijegunaratne protected the main accusedin the high-profile murders, naval intelligence officer Chandana PrasadHettiarachchi.
He was arrested in August over the killings in the closing stages of SriLanka’s bloody separatist war that ended in May 2009.
Three warrants for Wijegunaratne’s arrest were issued earlier this monthbut he ignored them, even travelling to Mexico while investigators wereseeking a statement from him.
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Police believe the 11 victims were killed while in the illegal custody ofthe navy. Their bodies were never found.
Military figures were accused of abductions and extrajudicial killingsduring the 37-year war against the Tamil Tiger separatist movement.
Several intelligence officers are facing prosecution over the murder ofjournalists critical of Mahinda Rajapakse, the former president whosetenure was marred by allegations of war crimes and grave rights abuses.
His recent controversial appointment as prime minister by Sri Lanka’spresident has plunged the country into crisis, with parliament twice votingagainst the war-era strongman ruler taking over the government.
Rajapakse, who has refused to step aside as Sri Lanka drifts in a powervacuum, and several members of his family are being investigated for fraudand murder during his 10-year presidency.
But those inquiries were thrown into doubt after his surprise return to thehelm of government in an alliance with President Maithripala Sirisena.
Rajapakse lead Sri Lanka as government troops defeated the Tamil insurgencyin May 2009, ending years of bitter and brutal fighting.The final days of the offensive were marked by major abuses, according torights groups. A UN panel has said 40,000 civilians may have been killed inthe final stages of the war. – APP/AFP
