The Magistrate of Sri Lanka has on Wednesday, detained Sri Lankan top military officer, who was allegedly accused of harbouring a suspect in a case of kidnapping 11 young men in the final year of the war – “navy abduction racket”.
The Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake has ordered the remand of chief of defence staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne on November 28, till December 5. Wijegunaratne has been avoiding the arrest for weeks even after the warrants. That is why he has been put on remand by the magistrate.
Magistrate noted, given top level power to Wijegunaratne may be used to influence the witness as well as may also disrupt the ongoing investigation. Hence, he was put on remand and thus not granting bail until December 5.
Wijegunaratne has in September, raised some serious doubts regarding his cooperation in the investigation, after he suddenly departed to Mexico.
Though before also, many of the army intelligence have been arrested over the matter of war-time crimes, Wijegunaratne is the top-most military office to be questioned over his alleged role in harbouring naval intelligence office Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, who is accused of disappearing 11 young men in the final years of war – between 2008and 2009.
Wijegunaratne has defenced himself in front of the magistrate on Wednesday, by denying any wrongdoing.
Nevertheless, Lieutenant Commander was a key witnessed in the case of “Navy abduction racket”, as he said he was once threatened by six naval officer including Wijegunaratne.