No identification parade in Mannar alleged rape incident

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 March 2005, 13:55 GMT]
Mr.N.M.M.Abdullah Tuesday decided not to hold an identification parade into the allegation of rape and assault on refugees by unidentified men on the sandbank in Mannar Sea during the first week of March. The Magistrate made his order in this regard when three victim men and a women told in reply to court Tuesday that they cannot identify the culprits in an identification parade, legal sources said.

The Magistrate queried each victim separately whether they could identify those suspects alleged to have assaulted and raped refugees while they were left on the sandbank in Mannar Sea, legal sources said.

The Magistrate disallowed the application made by Attorney-at-Law Mr.M.M.Saburudeen who appeared on behalf of the victims to hold the identification parade to give an opportunity for the complainants to identify the offenders. Mr.Saburudeen was retained by the Mannar Citizen Committee to watch the interests of the victim refugees, legal sources said.

Lt.T.R.S.Jinadasa of Sri Lanka Navy appeared on behalf of the SLN, legal sources said.