Krishanthy murder convict complains of death threat

[TamilNet, Saturday, 14 May 2005, 16:39 GMT]
Lance Corporal Somaretna Rajapakse of the Sri Lanka Army who is serving death sentence in Krishanthy Cumaraswamy rape and murder case and a key witness in the several habeas Corpus applications currently under inquiry last week complained to the Jaffna Additional Magistrate that his life is in danger in the Bogambara prison, legal sources said.

Lance Corporal Rajapakse while giving evidence in a Habeas Corpus application made this allegation before Additional Magistrate Ms Srinithi Nanthasekaran last week. Mr.Rajapakse has volunteered as a witness in several HC applications filed by the relatives of Tamil youths who were reported disappeared after the arrest by SLA soldiers during 1996-1997 period, legal sources said.

Corporal Rajapakse said several documents related to persons disappeared in Jaffna had been snatched from him by two prison guards in prison. He has brought this matter to the prison Commissioner through his relatives. He appealed to court to take steps to transfer him to a prison, which could ensure better security for him, legal sources said.

Additional Magistrate instructed the prison officials to bring this matter to the Commissioner of Prisons and to ensure security for the accused and the return of the documents removed from him, legal sources said.