President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has promoted a military officer who is a suspect in the 2010 abduction and disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda. What is particularly striking is that this promotion was granted in January — the month in which Prageeth was abducted. It has now been 16 years since the abduction.
January is a month notorious for media repression in this country.
According to long‑standing administrative practice, promotions are not granted to suspects in such cases. If a government employee becomes a suspect in an ongoing criminal investigation, they are typically suspended from duty.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the second president to come to power after pledging to deliver justice for journalists killed in this country, including Prageeth Eknaligoda.
Following investigations carried out under the Good Governance government — which also came to power on similar promises — cases were filed. However, President Sirisena stalled those investigations, stating that he would not allow “war heroes” to be imprisoned.
Now, Lieutenant Colonel T.E.R. (Erantha) Peiris, the third defendant in the kidnapping case of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, has been promoted to the rank of Colonel under the National People’s Power government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Sri Lanka Brief has in possession the official document that proves the President approved this promotion. The promotions will only take effect once they are published in the Gazette. The document is dated January 6 and signed by Major General B.G.N. Fernando, Secretary of the Military.
The fact that President Dissanayake has promoted a suspect in the kidnapping and murder of a journalist raises the question of whether he, too, has become entangled in the Black State (Kalu Rajjaya) or the deep state he himself repeatedly criticises.
The Dissanayake government is not different from the Rajapaksa regime in terms of militarising state governance.
This case is currently being heard before a three‑member High Court Trial at Bar. A suspect in such a case has previously been promoted only during the tenure of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
As of January 24, 2010 — the date of the kidnapping — T.E.R. (Erantha) Peiris held the rank of Major.
The suspects charged before the three‑member Trial at Bar (ongoing in 2026) are:
The primary accused and indicted military personnel include
1. Brigadier Shammi Arjuna Kumararatne – The main accused; formerly a Lieutenant, Colonel and the Commanding Officer of the Girithale Army Camp.
2. Lieutenant Colonel T.E.R. (Erantha) Peiris – Formerly a Major at the time of the incident.
3. W.D. Upasena (alias Suresh) – A member of the Army Intelligence Unit.
4. R.M.P.K. Rajapaksa (alias Nadan) – A member of the Army Intelligence Unit.
5. S.M. Ravindra Rupasena (alias Ranji) – A member of the Army Intelligence Unit.
6. Chaminda Kumara Abeyratne – A member of the Army Intelligence Unit.
7. Kanishka Gunaratne – A member of the Army Intelligence Unit.
8. Aiyyasamy Balasubramaniam – A member of the Army Intelligence Unit.
9. Tharanga Prasad Gamage – A member of the Army Intelligence Unit.
The trial has faced repeated delays due to vacancies in the three‑judge bench, leading to adjournments until late 2025. In June 2025, retired Brigadier Shammi Kumararatne was briefly remanded on charges of threatening a key witness, Suresh Kumar.
Timeline of the kidnapping and trial
24 January 2010 – Kidnapping
• Journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda was abducted and disappeared
2015 – Investigation resumes
• August 2015 – Military officers arrested; evidence emerges that Eknaligoda was taken to the Giritale Army Camp after the abduction.
2018
• Amendments to the Judicature Act establish a permanent three‑judge High Court bench for the case.
2019
• Indictments filed.
• 27 November 2019 – Nine military officers formally charged by the Attorney General with kidnapping, conspiracy to murder, and enforced disappearance.
• Late 2019 – Trial begins.
• December 2019 – Indictments handed over to the three‑member High Court; evidence hearings and witness summons commence.
2020
• Court dates postponed to October–November 2020 due to COVID‑19 curfew restrictions.
17 June 2022
• Nine intelligence officers released on bail; travel bans imposed.
11 June 2025
• Retired Brigadier Shammi Kumararatne was remanded by a magistrate’s court for threatening witnesses.
16 July 2025
• CID Director Shani Abeysekara named as a witness in the ongoing trial.
30 October 2025
• Three‑judge bench adjourns proceedings to 5 December 2025 due to vacancies.
6 December 2025
• Trial scheduled to continue.