CID prepares to file murder charges on soldiers in Eknaligoda case.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is to seek the advise of the Attorney General (AG) to file legal action against military intelligence officers that stand accused in the abduction and disappearance of cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda.
Sources at the Police Headquarters have told The Sunday Morning newspaper that ongoing investigations had concluded that Eknaligoda was last in Army custody before he went missing.
Police sources said that the Army had not been giving its full backing to the ongoing investigations as the main suspects were military intelligence officers.
“We have not been receiving the full cooperation of the Army. They can easily take action against the officers accused. We are now going to seek the AG’s advise to file murder charges on the accused officers,” Police sources said.
Sources said that the investigations had stalled as Army assistance was required to take the case further.
“The investigations cannot move further without Army assistance,” Police sources added.
However, when The Sunday Morning contacted Army Spokesman Brigadier Sumith Atapattu, he insisted that the Army had been assisting the investigations.
He said that if there was evidence against any Army officer then the Army would take action against the officer.
However, the Army Spokesman also stated that if murder charges were filed against any officer without evidence then the military would use its legal division to protect those officers.
Eknaligoda was reported missing on 24 January, 2010 – two days before the presidential elections.