CID submits confidential report on Chemmani mass graves

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 November 2002, 10:43 GMT]
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted its confidential report on the Chemmani mass graves' exhumation to the Colombo Chief Magistrate Tuesday afternoon, legal sources said. Further inquiry in regard to the Chemmani mass grave continues, CID officials told the Chief Magistrate.

The DNA reports on the human skeletons exhumed from the Chemmani mass graves have been sent to Hydrebad Forensic Laboratory in India for further examination. " We are awaiting for the findings from India," said CID official told court.

"We have sent a full report to the Attorney General regarding the inquiry held so far. We will be taking further action on the instruction of the Attorney General," CID official submitted to court.

The Magistrate instructed the CID to furnish him report on the progress of the inquiry

The Chemmani mass graves murder came to light four years ago when corporal Rajapakse of the Sri Lanka Army before being sentenced to death in the Krishanthy rape and murder case told the Colombo High Court that between 300 and 400 Tamils who were tortured to death in the army custody have been buried in Chemmani during the military operation launched by the SLA in 1995.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) visited the 'Chemmani mass graves' on August 4. 1998 along with Sri Lankan Army corporal Somaratne Rajapakse, the first accused in the rape and murder case of Krishanthy Kumarasamy .

The CID commenced investigation first by recording a statement from Rajapakse on the instruction of the Attorney General. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission (HRC) also independently recorded a statement from Rajapakse on July 23, 1998.

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