White Van case: Voices match, ASG informs court

The voices of two individuals, who had been arrested over making controversial statements on 'white van abduction' at a media briefing conducted by former minister Rajitha Senaratne, matched with the unedited video clips provided by the television channels, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Dileepa Peiris informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate today.

He said that according to the report provided by the Government Analyst regarding the voice tests of the two suspects, who claimed themselves as white van drivers, matched with the video clips provided by the television channels.

ASG Peiris also informed that former Minister Rajitha Senaratne's Media Secretary Malik Vijenayaka had organised the media conference and he had paid Rs. 15,000 for a makeup artist to get both suspects ready for the media conference.

"The particular media secretary had left the country right now and the CID needs to record a statement from him. So far, the main investigations are over and the CID has only to record a statement from Former Minister's media secretary," ASG Peiris informed the Court.

Other suspects in the case, Former Minister Rajitha Senaratne and former State Pharmaceutical Corporation Chairman Dr Rumi Mohammed were present in court except the two individuals, who claimed themselves as the drivers of white vans.

When Magistrate questioned as to why the two individuals, Douglas Anthony Fernando and Athula Sanjaya Madanayake, were not present in courts, the CID said that the suspects were arrested on Tuesday over a Rs. 4.4 million cash robbery in Gampaha.(Yoshitha Perera)