Former Navy Commander Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne has been ordered to appear before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today to record a statement over the allegation that he helped an absconding suspect to flee the country.
Admiral Wijegunaratne is alleged of helping former Navy Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, who is the main suspect in the abduction and murder of 11 youths in 2008-2009, to abscond.
Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne last month ordered the police to arrest Admiral Wijegunaratne, if there is sufficient evidence against him after the CID informed the court that there is sufficient evidence against Admiral Wijegunaratne’s role in allowing the accused to evade arrest.
Admiral Wijegunaratne has reportedly funded Hettiarachchi to go flee the country after he was granted bail last year.
Quoting senior police sources, a local newspaper reported that if Admiral Wijegunaratne did not report to the CID at the given time, then the CID officials would visit his home and arrest him.
