Abduction of youths: Charges against Admiral Karannagoda dropped

Karannagoda is named the 14th defendant in the case filed against a group of Naval Intelligence officers pertaining to the alleged forced disappearance of 11 youths in Colombo in 2008 and 2009.

Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara appearing for the Attorney General made these remarks when the case came up before Trial-at-Bar bench comprising High Court Judges Champa Janaki Rajarathne (President), Amal Ranaraja and Nawaratne Marasinghe.

Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara told the court that Karannagoda has filed a writ petition before the Appeals Court against naming him as a defendant of this case and that the Appeal Court has accordingly issued an Interim Order against hearing the charges levelled against him. This Interim Order is effective until the final determination of that writ petition.

The case was fixed for September 22 and the Court will obtain a clarification regarding the Interim Order by the Appeal Court.

Previously, the indictments consisted of 667 counts under Penal Code that had been filed against former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, Navy officers D.K.P. Dasanayake, Sampath Munasinghe, Sumith Ranasinghe, Dilanka Senaratne, Nalin Prasanna Wickremasuriya, Anton Fernando, Rajapaksha Pathirannehelage Kithsiri, Aruna Thushara Mendis, Kathriarachchilage Gamini alias Ampara Gamini, Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi alias Navy Sampath, Upul Chaminda alias Annachchi, Nandapriya Hettihendi and Sampath Janaka Kumara alias Podi Kumara under the Penal Code.

Later, indictments were served on 13 accused except Wasantha Karannagoda on January 24, 2020 by the Court in connection with the abduction, torture, extortion and conspiracy to murder 11 youths in 2008 and 2009.Those abducted and murdered were S.A. Leon Stanley, Roshan Leon Stanly, John Reed, Thiyagaraja Jhegan, Rajiv Naganadan, Ramalingam Thilakeshwaran, Pradeep Vishvanadan, Mohammed Saajith, Mohammed Dilan, Kasthuri Arachchilage Anthony and Mohammed Anwar Mubarak.