Chemmani report submitted to Court

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 December 1999, 12:36 GMT]
A seventy-five page report about the exhumations conducted at the Chemmani graves recently was submitted to the Jaffna Magistrate, Mr. M. Illancheliyan, this morning by State Counsel Yasantha Gothakoda. Thirty-three of the pages contained photographs of the skeletons exhumed from the site.

According to the report submitted in court, of the 15 human skeletons exhumed, only two, belonging to males, were identified. The other 13 skeletons have not been identified.

Peace march and special prayers were organised by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Mission, the Church of South-India and the Methodist Mission in the eastern town of Batticaloa yesterday, 5 December, protesting against the attack on Madhu Church. Photo:TamilNet

One of the unidentified skeletons, belonged to a female of about 18-23 years of age. She had been killed with a pointed weapon, causing injuries to her neck and chest.

The remaining skeletons were of male persons. Of them, 2 persons died due to head injuries and eight due to chest injuries. The deaths of 2 other persons could not be determined in the medical examinations, the report stated.According to the report one of these unidentified skeleton is of a young boy, believed to be between 13 and 17 years.

In the meantime, the Magistrate directed the authorities to bring back all the skeletons from the Ruhunu University to Jaffna for identification by the parties concerned. The Magistrate further directed that those skeletons be kept in Jaffna court from 24th to 28th January, next year for identification.

Peace march, Batticaloa, 5, December 1999. Photo:TamilNet

Meanwhile, the Magistrate issued notice on one Kandiah of Colombuthurai to appear in court on the next date in regard to the deaths of a couple whose bodies were exhumed from a spot at Nedunkulam, Ariyalai. The spot was identified by the first accused Somaratne Rajapakshe in the Krishanthi rape and murder case.

Somaratne Rajapakse, who was sentenced to death in that case, had earlier told the Magistrate that Kandiah witnessed the burial of the bodies of the couple on the day of the incident.

Forensic Professor Chandralal Niriella and Inspector of Police Nandana Munasinghe of the Criminal Investigation Department were also present in the court.

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