6000 days after disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda : Fees of private lawyers of accused who attacked journalists allegedly paid from a ’secret fund’ under military ? - Lanka e-News Editor

A candlelight vigil held to mark 6000 days since Prageeth’s disappearance. Image courtesy of Bhavani Fonseka.

Sunday (June 28) marked 6000 days since the disappearance of veteran journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda. To mark this day, his spouse Sandya Ekneligoda spoke to the media about the journey she has come thus far amidst various obstacles. Several of his belongings and letters Sandya has written to various organisations in her fight for justice were displayed for people to understand the challenges she has faced over the years single-handedly. A candlelight vigil was organised following the media briefing to remember the veteran journalist. 

Concerns raised regarding an alleged secret fund 

Speaking at the media briefing, Sandaruwan Senadheera, Editor of the online news website Lanka e-News recalled how they staged a protest with the theme ‘Bring Back Our Prageeth’ the day following his disappearance in 

January 2010. 

“After that day, I’m speaking to the media in this manner after 16 years,” he told reporters. According to Senadheera, media organizations in the North and South were torched, while journalists were being abducted and killed. He said that out of these incidents, the only case that is still being heard is that of Prageeth’s disappearance and that it is solely because of Sandya’s determination. 

“The then government managed to halt investigations and transfer the case to the Colombo Crimes Division. They advised me to seek astrological services when I inquired them about what had happened to my husband. Then on February 19 I filed a Habeas Corpus case at the Supreme Court. Thereafter many testimonies and evidence 

were filed”

- Sandya Ekneligoda (Wife of disappeared Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda)

“There’s a rumour that payments for private lawyers appearing for the accused in these cases are being sourced via an alleged secret fund coming under the purview of the military. We have revealed this twice and nobody has either denied it or have responded to these allegations”

-Sandaruwan Senadheera, Editor Lanka e-News

“We believe that the case is progressing in a successful manner. What we know so far is that the abductions and killings of journalists in the South were allegedly carried out by one group. My organization was burned down and it is allegedly linked to one group. But there has been no accused so far despite ongoing investigations. There’s a rumour that payments for private lawyers appearing for the accused in these cases are being sourced via an alleged secret fund coming under the purview of the military. We have revealed this twice and nobody has either denied it or have responded to these allegations. If this is continuing it is a dangerous state of affairs. Justice needs to be delivered to Prageeth and we need to continue this fight,” 

he added. 

A long journey to justice

The journey to seek Justice for her beloved husband has not been an easy one for Sandya. Over the past 6000 days she has conducted memorials, press briefings, special prayer services, pooja in kovils and even chanted a seth kaviya in an attempt to seek justice for her husband. 

“Through these initiatives we have been able to protect his footsteps and keep them alive,” she said. “I have also made appeals to the legislature, judiciary and various international organisations such as the United Nations seeking justice for Prageeth,” she added. 

In a brief outline about the events that happened thus far, Sandya spoke about the challenges, dead-ends, emotional battles and obstacles she had to overcome over the years. Her journey to seek justice for Prageeth began at the Homagama Police Station on January 25, 2010 where she initially realised how the police treats a victim who has filed a complaint. 

“They tried so hard not to write down my complaint. But after many debates with the Officer-in-Charge I managed to file it. At the end of January 2010 I went to the Nugegoda Crimes Division where I met Deshabandu Tennakoon. I repeated my story to him and they launched an investigation. Through this investigation they managed to obtain Prageeth’s telephone records where they revealed about an unidentified ‘friend’ of Prageeth. However, the then government managed to halt investigations and transfer the case to the Colombo Crimes Division. They advised me to seek astrological services when I inquired them about what had happened to my husband. Then on February 19 I filed a Habeas Corpus case at the Supreme Court. Thereafter many testimonies and evidence were 

filed,” she said. 

According to Sandya, even though this case was filed in 2010, the investigations had commenced in September 2011 at the Homagama Magistrate’s Court. She said that she had to provide evidence in March 2012. But she claimed that during cross examination, the Attorney General’s department hadn’t asked her any questions related to Prageeth’s disappearance. “Instead, they asked me why I went to Geneva, who is funding me, what are the organisations backing me, who is providing accommodation and so 

on,” she added.

Sandya said that while in Geneva, the then Attorney General Mohan Peiris told the Committee Against Torture that Prageeth is living as an asylum seeker in another country. “In June 2012, Peiris came to the Homagama Magistrate’s Court where he said that only ‘God knows where Prageeth is’ and that he cannot remember who gave him information regarding the whereabouts of Prageeth. During the same year, following his statement the then Minister Arundika Fernando said that he saw Prageeth in France. He said that his friend Manjula Wediwardana showed him an individual and confirmed he was Prageeth. He stated these facts in courts. But later on Manjula denied making such claims. There was some information regarding Prageeth being abducted by a group of armed men. But this information never reached courts for further investigations,” Sandya added. 

In January 2015, Mahinda Rajapakse was defeated and the Yahapalana Government assumed power. Sandya had continued writing to the President and the Inspector General of Police and thereafter the case was referred to the Homicide and Organised Crime Division of the Criminal Investigations Department. She said that it was a milestone in her journey because the officers were able to investigate and obtain many details regarding the nature of the crime and who has been involved in it. 

“The accused were subsequently arrested. During this time there were many incidents happening in courts. Judges were obstructed from their duties. My experience is that the CID didn’t have a favourable environment to carry out investigations. In 2016 I was made a victim of hate speech inside the courtroom because of Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera. In 2018 he was charged, but before the end of the year he was released on bail and the judgment was changed. The Homagama judge changed his punishment by applying a law that is not in use in this country. But since 2019 my appeal is being heard in Supreme Court,” she added.

Legal proceedings continue 

“Last week I went to the Permanent Trial-at-Bar that has been appointed to hear the case regarding Prageeth’s disappearance and they were discussing about the fourth witness named Sumathipala Suresh Kumar alias Murali. When Gotabaya Rajapaksa assumed power as President two main sources of evidence were destroyed by those linked to the crime. Witnesses changed their statements from what they said during 2015/2016. The fourth witness once again told courts that he was pressured to change his statement,” she said.

Sandya said that criminals can always destroy evidence, but that her only hope is to see that justice is being served as soon as possible. “That’s why I urge the government to give more attention to this case. I don’t know whether the military officials provided accurate information. Some claimed that they have forgotten certain details. This shows that justice cannot be delayed. If delayed, criminals gain impunity. If criminals are punished there will be no impunity in this country. We need to end impunity and hand over this country to the future generations. We need to create a space where people could exercise their right to freedom of expression. I hope that at least the first chapter of Prageeth’s case could be concluded by the end of this year and thereafter we could think about the next steps,” she said in her concluding remarks.