CID misled court over Lasantha's killing; witness

CID misled court over Lasantha Wickrematunge killing; Ex-Intelligence Officer

by Zulfick Farzan 28-10-2020 | 4:40 PM

Colombo (News 1st); The Criminal Investigations Department had misled the court with regard to the investigations on the assassination of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, said Prem Ananda Udalagama, a Former Military Intelligence Office, in his testimony to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing incidents of Political Victimization, on Tuesday (27).

Prem Ananda Udalagama said he was summoned to the CID on the 21st of June 2016 to provide a statement and was directly questioned by detectives over the abduction and intimidation of Devamullage Karunaratne, the driver of the late Lasantha Wickrematunge.

In addition, he said he was questioned with regard to the abduction and assault on journalists Keith Noyahr and Upali Tennakoon as well as matters on national security.

Prem Ananda Udalagama in his testimony said he informed the CID detectives he was not aware of anything.

He said at one occasion IP Nishatha Silva suggested to him to admit to the fact 'The Intelligence Units assaulted journalists on the instructions of Gotabaya Rajapaksa'.

He said as he rejected all the allegations made against him, he was arrested over the abduction and intimidation of Devamullage Karunaratne, the driver of the late Lasantha Wickrematunge.

Prem Ananda Udalagama further said though he was arrested on the aforementioned charge, the detectives had presented false evidence against him to the court with regard to the assassination of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge.