CDS helped Navy offficer escape legal action

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed court that Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne had aided and abetted Navy officer Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi to escape from legal action by allowing him to avoid court warrants issued against him.

Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi is a wanted suspect in connection with the disappearance of 11 youth in Colombo in 2008 and 2009.

The CID told court that he had fled the country with the blessings of former Navy Commander and Chief of Defence Staff Ravindra Wijegunaratne.

The CID informed the Court, according to the earlier statement given by Navy Lieutenant Commander Laksiri Galagamage about the suspect (Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi), the CID had found that former Navy Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi was in the Navy officers’ quarters during the period that court had issued the warrant.

The CID had found that Chandana Prsad Hettiarachchi and current (CDS) Ravindra Wijegunarathne were as in the same Navy officers’ quarters.

The CID had found the CDS had used two rooms in the seventh upper floor. The CID officers have found the meal chart of Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi during that period.

Further, they have informed court that Ravindra Wijegunarathne helped Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi to hide in the officers’ quarters. The CID had requested the Navy Commander to submit Documents pertaining to the vacate of post by Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi and his official vehicle.

Since the Navy had failed to submit the relevant documents on the suspects and witnesses as requested during several previous hearings, Counsel appearing for the aggrieved party Attorney-at-Law Achala Senevirathne requested the Magistrate to issue a notice on the Navy to handover these documents to the CID.

The CID stated that they would take necessary action to arrest Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi.

Two other suspects Kasthurige Gamini and Aruna Thushara Mendis were ordered to be further remanded until June 28. The Magistrate fixed the hearing for June 28.