FORMER IGP SHOULD FACE TRIAL IF HE DESTROYED EVIDENCE-SSC

The AG had issued an Interim Order staying the arrest of former IGP Wickremaratne

When the case was taken up before Mount Lavinia Chief Magistrate Mohammed Mihail, Senior State Council Bandara, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General (AG), informed Court that the AG had issued an Interim Order staying the arrest of former IGP Wickremaratne in connection with this murder. Former IGP Wickramaratne was questioned by the CID over the notebook belonging to the late Sunday Leader Editor, that had gone missing while in police custody.

When the case was taken up, former Mount Lavinia Crimes OIC Tissa Sugathapala and former DIG Prasanna Nanayakkara, who were arrested by the CID over allegations of concealing evidence with regard to the murder, were further remanded by the Magistrate till June 19.

During investigations carried out by the CID, several forged documents had been found at the residence of the second suspect in the case, former Mount Lavinia Crimes OIC Tissa Sugathapala.

This was after it came to light that former DIG Nanayakkara had hatched a plan to get rid of key evidence in the senior Journalist’s killing.the CID had informed court that in a statement made to them, the second suspect, Sugathapala, had stated that he had even been forced to hand over Lasantha Wickrematunga’s field book which is considered to be a crucial piece of evidence in the case, to former DIG Prasanna Nanayakkara on the instructions of former Senior DIG Hemantha Adhikari.