Ekneligoda Disappearance: Army Intel personnel granted bail; Witness remanded

COLOMBO (News 1st); Nine Sri Lanka Army Intelligence personnel who were remanded over the enforced disappearance and murder of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda, were released on bail on Friday (17) by the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar.

The Nine Military Intelligence personnel who were previously out on bail, but charged with the enforced disappearance and murder of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda were remanded until the 13th of June.

However, the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar ordered for the witness in the case to be remanded until the 23rd of June.

At the previous court session Attorney-at-Law Upul Kumarapperuma appearing for the aggrieved party told the court that the witness identified as Sumathipala Suresh who appeared to testify in court, did not appear at the previous court session, and thereafter a warrant was issued by the court for his arrest.

He requested the court to call for an investigation as it was evident that the witness was being influenced.

Senior Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris appearing for the prosecution told the court on that day that he too noted that the witnesses in the case were being influenced, and requested the court look into it.

In November 2019, the Colombo Permanent Trial-at-Bar served indictments on Military Intelligence personnel and charged the with the enforced disappearance and murder of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda.

The indictments were filed against the 09 accused of conspiring with those unknown to the prosecution between the 24th and 27th of January 2010 in Giritale, Koswatte and Battaramulla and carrying out the abduction of Prageeth Ekneligoda.

After the indictments were handed over, the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar ordered for them to be released on bail given earlier by the Magistrate's Court.

An overseas travel ban was imposed on the accused and they were ordered to hand over their passports to the court.

Accused are Lieutenant Colonel Shammi Arjun Kumararatne, R.M.P.K. Rajapaksa alias Nathan, W.V.Priyantha Dilanjan Upasena alias Suresh, Seneviratne Mudiyanselage Ravindra Rupasena alias Ranji, Yapa Mudiyanselage Chaminda Kumara Abeyratne, Seneviratne Mudiyanselage Kanishka Gunaratne, Aiyasami Balasubramaniyam, Dangaha Gamaralage Tharanga Prasad Gamage and T.E.R. Peiris.