Retired Major Ajith Prasanna and two retired intelligence officers have been remanded until February 14 by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, over charges of intimidating witnesses in a case. 

They are accused of holding a press conference and intimidating witnesses in the case being heard before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court against several navy officers over the abduction and disappearance of 11 youths.

When the case was taken up today (31) before Colombo Additional magistrate Priyantha Liyanage, the three defendants, who are already in remand custody, were produced before the court.

A bail application was presented on behalf of Ajith Prasanna, however the magistrate rejected the appeal stating that he has no authority to grant bail for this charge.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) submitting a report to the court stated that further investigations are ongoing with regard to the incident. 

The magistrate inquired regarding the progress of investigations and also ordered the CID to arrest and produce before the court the wife of the suspect named Kasthurige Gamini and former LTTE member Vijaya Kanthan who had participated in the press conference in question.

The magistrate also instructed the CID to record statements from the former CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekara, former Inspector Nishantha de Silva and Lieutenant Commander Chaminda Welagedara.

Afterwards he ordered the accused be remanded until February 14 and instructed the CID to report the progress of investigations on that date.