Two COls appointed to find missing docs: Army

The Sri Lanka Army yesterday said the Army Commander had appointed two Courts of Inquiry (COl) to ascertain the whereabouts of the missing documents pertaining to Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickramathunga’s murder and Prageeth Eknaligoda case.

They said the Army Commander, reassuring the Army’s assistance to the CID investigations, had detailed the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Sri Lanka Military Police to trace various documents that had been requested by the CID, but certain requested documents, could not be retrieved by the SIU.

Hence, the Army commander appointed the two COIs to ascertain the whereabouts of the missing documents and if the documents are indeed missing, the period they had gone missing and the persons responsible for them.

Issuing a media statement, they said the findings of the Courts of Inquiry would be intimated to the Courts and the CID at the conclusion of the said inquires.

The Army denied media reports alleging that the Army was not cooperating with the CID detectives, investigating into late Wickramathunga’s murder and reiterated its utmost commitment to the Rule of Law.

“If any member of the Army is found to be involved in the two cases aforesaid directly or indirectly including obstructing justice by suppressing of evidence, such persons will be brought before a Court martial irrespective of their ranks or stature,” the statement said.