Former CID Director, three released from charges on AGs advice in false evidence case

Four suspects including former Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director Shani Abeysekera who had been accused of creating false evidence in relation to a case at the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, stating that weapons and explosives including T-56 firearms and a claymore bomb, as well as other firearms and explosives which were hidden in a wood shed,

behind a house in Kalagedihena, Gampaha,belonged to former DIG Vaas Gunawardena and other suspects, were released from all charges, on the instructions of the Attorney General by Gampaha Magistrate Shilani Chathuranthi Perera yesterday (25). On the instructions of the Attorney General received by the Gampaha Magistrate Court, the four suspects namely Former Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, former Senior

Superintendent of Police Shani Abeysekera, Sub Inspector Sugath Mohana Mendis, retired Sub Inspector Navaratne Premathilaka and former Inspector Nishantha Silva, who is abroad, were released from the charges in this case.

The Director of the Police Legal Division had requested the Attorney General to reconsider the release of the suspects as there is sufficient evidence to maintain the case filed against the

suspects, and Inspector Jagath Nishantha of the Colombo Crimes Division, who represented the prosecution, had requested court that the existing case against the suspects be continued until the relevant responses are received.

Attorney Hafeel Faris and Senior Counsel Chaminda Athukorala, who appeared for the suspects including Shani Abeysekera, said that the court was obliged to act on instructions given by the Attorney General. After the Attorney General’s Department had informed the Magistrate’s Court that an existing case in a Magistrate’s Court will no longer be maintained, the lawyers told court that the case will be null and void. It was also mentioned, that it was clearly stated that the case filed by the Colombo Crimes Division, against these suspects being granted bail in connection with the bail order of the

Appeal Court, was fabricated. It was also stated in the presence of the bench of judges in court that an appeal against the order of the Court of Appeal regarding the order granting bail to the

suspects had not been filed by the Colombo Crimes Division.

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