Thajudeen murder: CID questions former president’s security officer over the inquiry : Ex- SDIG & ex- Crimes OIC re-remanded till August 3

By Shehan Chamika Silva

Senior State Counsel Dilan Ratnayake today told Court that the CID had questioned Udaya Nandana Nagaha Aarachchi, a former Non-Commissioned Officer of Sri Lanka Army attached to the President’s Security Division, over the inquiry conducted into the Murder of Ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen.

The prosecution filing a B report informed court that it had recorded statements from four officials, Ranjith Premalal, Maduranadalage Dayananda, Premakumara Chandrathilake and Pradeep Ruwan Kumara attached to the former President’s Security Division over the questionable mobile calls received to the former OIC of Narahenpita Police Chief Inspector Damien Perera during the incident.

The CID had also informed that the Police CCTV division had submitted ten CD copies of original CCTV footage to Court which were taken from the CCTV cameras located at Narahenpita and High level Junctions between 11.00 pm on May 16 to 2.00 am on May 17, the day that the alleged incident took place in front of the Shaleeka Park Narahenpita.

The Magistrate today expressly advised the counsel who appeared for the Sri Lanka Medical Council to expedite the inquiry conducted against former JMO Ananda Samarasekara, C.K. Rajaguru and Shriyantha Amararatna on the allegation of missing body parts of the victim, Thajudeen, during the first autopsy.

The prosecution held that the suspects were charged under Sections 113 (conspiracy) and 32 (Liability for act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), of the Penal Code and according to the provision in Section 13 of the Bail Act, a person suspected or accused of being concerned in committing or having committed an offence punishable with death or with life imprisonment, shall not be released on Bail except by a Judge of the High Court.

Thereby, instructing the defence lawyers to file bail applications in High Court, the Magistrate ordered suspects,former SDIG Anura Senanayake and former Narahenpita crimes OIC to be remanded till August 3.

The former SDIG and the former Crimes OIC also have charges of causing disappearance of evidence, fabricating false evidence, touching it to screen the offender and conspiring under Clauses of 189,198 and 296 of the Penal Code.