Attorney General Dappula de Livera PC has requested the Chief Justice to nominate a three member Trial-at-Bar to hear the case involving the abduction and murder of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda.
The Co-ordinating Officer to the Attorney General, State Counsel Ms. Nishara Jayaratne told news media that the Attorney General has already prepared indictments to be filed against nine army intelligence officers attached to the Giritale Army camp.
The Attorney General is expecting to file indictments against Shammi Arjun Kumararatne, R.M.P.K. Rajapaksa alias Nadan, Priyantha Upasena, S.M. Ravindra Rupasinghe, Y.M. Chaminda Kumara Abeyratne, S.M. Kanishka Gunaratne, A. Balasubramaniam, Tharanga Prasad Gamage and T.E.R. Peiris under 17 counts including committing the murder of Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda.
The charges are to be filed under section 102, 113 (A), 365, 140,146, 32, 355 and 296 of the Penal Code in respect of conspiracy, unlawful assembly, abduction and murder of Prageeth Ekneligoda.
The Attorney General has requested the Chief Justice nominate a three member Trial at Bar to hear this case after considering the nature of the offences, the circumstances relating to the commission of the offences and the complex nature of the available evidence pertaining to this case.
The CID investigations have revealed that journalist Ekneligoda had been subjected to abduction between January 24, 2010 and January 27, 2010 by the accused at Battaramulla area and he has taken to Giritale for the purpose of secretly detaining him.
The accused’s involvement to the abduction had revealed after analyzing the telephone conversation details.
Lakmal Sooriyagoda/DN