Death threat to Magistrate investigated

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 May 2002, 16:59 GMT]
A "top level" investigation is being conducted into the death threat received in the mail by the Teldeniya Magistrate Ms. Inoka Ranasinghe, who is investigating the Udathalawinne massacre case, said State Counsel Achala Vengapuli, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General when the case was taken up by the Magistrate on Wednesday.

In this case eighteen suspects including the former Deputy Defence Minister General Anurudha Ratwatte and his two sons Lohan and Chanuka are charged with the murder. All the suspects are in remand.

Counsel for the suspects and the State Counsel condemned the death threat to the Magistrate as an act of cowardice. They extended their co-operation to the court to hold an investigation.

When the case was taken up for further inquiry Wednesday amidst tight security in and around the court, seventeen suspects were produced from the Bogambara prisons in Kandy. The prison authorities submitted the medical certificate to court stating that the other suspect Chanuka Ratwatte, second son of Anurudhha Ratwatte, was too ill to attend the court.

The State Counsel informed the court that the investigation into the massacre has not been completed and more suspects are to be arrested in this connection. He requested another date to report on the progress of the investigation.

The Magistrate put off the inquiry for June 3 and ordered further remand for the eighteen suspects till that date. On an earlier date the Magistrate released twenty-one suspects including nineteen soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army when the prosecution submitted to court there was no evidence against them.