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Udatalawinna massacre case : 

UNP Secretary made inquiries in the night - ASP

by Sandasen Marasinghe

Assistant Superintendent of Police Ananda Lenawa stated yesterday (26) that the then Secretary to the UNP Senarath Kapukotuwa inquired from him at night on the phone about the vehicles which were at the Katugastota Police after being found at the Eden Group Estate on December 6, 2001. He made this observation before the Trial-at-Bar hearing of the Udatalawinna massacre case.

The Trial-at-Bar comprises High Court Judges Eric Basnayake (President), Deepali Wijesundara and Sunil Rajapakse.

Cross-examined by the Defence Counsel Tirantha Walaliyadda PC, ASP Lenawa said that Major Wijeratne came to the Katugastota Police and asked to hand over the two vehicles to them to hand them over to the Mawanella Police as there was a complaint there with regard to the said vehicles.

Defence Counsel Tirantha Walaliyadda PC: "Did he ask you to hand over the vehicles to the Major or to the Mawanella Police?"

Witness: "To hand them over to the Mawanella Police."

Witness said that there were no complaint at the Teldeniya Police against the vehicles and he did not know whether there were complaints at Rangala Police or at Mawanella Police. He did not inquire from the Mawanella Police whether there was a complaint with regard to the vehicles as he hadn't the telephone number.

When questioned by Defence Counsel Tirantha Walaliyadda PC witness said that he had the TP number but it was not with him at that moment. DIG Balasuriya also told that there was a complaint at the Mawanella Police with regard to the two vehicles.

Secretary to the UNP Senarath Kapukotuwa inquired about the vehicles at night on December 6, 2001 on the phone.

Witness further said that when giving evidence on July 20, he said that he received the message about the vehicle while he was returning from Madawala and he said it twice as he could not read his notes properly. He produced those notes before the Court the following day.

When the Defence Counsel Tirantha Walaliyadda suggested that witness changed the 'when' to 'that' in Sinhala notes and produced them before the Court witness Lenawa denied it. Defence Counsel Tirantha Walaliyadda PC submitted that ASP Lenawa giving evidence on July 20 stated that he received message while returning from Madawala but it is not recorded but some papers had reported it.

By this stage Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Palitha Fernando stated that evidence records should not be changed according to the newspaper reports.

The Trial-at-Bar informed the Defence Counsel that the Court considers the matter with regard to the evidence recording.

Defence Counsel Tirantha Walaliyadda PC suggested that the story of the Rangala investigation was distorted completely on political influence and witness denied it. Major S. M. Wijeratne said that he retired in 1993. Later he worked as Private Secretary to the former Minister Anuruddha Ratwatta and as Co-ordinating Secretary as well.

Then DSG gave Major Wijeratne a file of documents to identify and witness said that he saw it at the Kandy Police but the hand-writing on the papers were not of him although they resembled his. He stated that he put his signature without reading his statement at Police as he was threatened by ASP Udugampola. He did not complain about it to Police or at least to former Minister Anurudda Ratwatte upto date.

Witness Major Wijeratne said that although he had duty with regard to the vehicles he went to meet ASP Lenawa on the request of Lieutenant Wickramasinghe.

At this stage DSG Palitha Fernando stated that the witness was giving false evidence and pleaded permission from the Trial-at-Bar to cross-examine the witness and he was permitted.

Cross-examined by DSG Palitha Fernando, Major Wijeratne said that Lieutenant Wickramasinghe was younger to him and held a lower rank to him. He did not order him to meet ASP Lenawa but requested.

Deputy Solicitor General Palitha Fernando, Senior State Counsel Mohan Senaviratne, Senior State Counsel Achala Wengappuli and state Counsel Shanil Kularatne appeared for the Attorney General while Tirantha Walaliyadda PC and Anil Silva appeared for the defence.

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