( President Sirisena: is he unable to get Military leaders in line? Image courtesy AP/Eranga Jayawardana)
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is contemplating filing criminal charges against the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and the head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) if the military fail to cooperate in the investigations carried out on several high profile murder cases, The Sunday Leader learns.
The Sunday Leader learns that the CID has continuously sought the assistance of the DMI in several murder probes, but the latter had failed to cooperate in the investigations by providing required information and in some instances evidence related to the investigations.
The Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court last week ordered the DMI to provide all necessary information to the CID related to the murder probe of the founding Editor of The Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge.
The CID it is learnt had sought information related to the movements of several military intelligence (MI) personnel in Lasantha’s investigation. However, the failure of the DMI to cooperate in Lasantha’s investigation resulted in the CID seeking a court order on the same.
Senior police sources told The Sunday Leader that if the hierarchy of the Sri Lanka Army and the DMI fail to adhere to the court order, the CID would pursue criminal charges for the suppression of evidence and failure to cooperate in murder investigations.
“The CID has taken into custody senior police officers who have been accused of suppressing evidence in several high profile cases. Therefore, military personnel cannot be considered above the law,” senior police sources said.
MI personnel have been so far implicated in the murder probes of former TNA MPs Joseph Pararajasingham and Nataraja Raviraj as well as Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge.
When contacted by The Sunday Leader, Military Spokesperson Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera said the Army Commander has directed the Military Police to look into the court order issued last week related to Lasantha’s murder investigation.
Jayaweera added that the army would take the required action after the Military Police informs the required details as per the court order.
(Original caption: CID To File Criminal Charges Against Army Comm, DMI Head?)