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| Wednesday, 3 September 2003 |
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by Sandasen Marasinghe A concrete post tilted having damaged and the fresh soil of the scene had been upturned when he visited the alleged crime scene five days after the incident, said the Senior Assistant Government Analyst W. D. Gamini Sarath Gunatilake testifying before the Trial-at-Bar hearing the Udatalawinna massacre, yesterday. The Trial-at-Bar comprised Eric Basnayake (President) Deepali Wijesundara and Sunil Rajapakse. Examined by Additional Solicitor General Palitha Fernando, W. D. G. S. Gunatilake testified that he had been working in the Government Analyst's Department for 23 years. He further submitted that on December 8, 2001 the Government Analyst had been informed of the incident by the Police. On December 10 the Government Analyst directed him to examine the incident and he set off from Colombo with two of his colleagues on the same day to reach Katugastota Police. Having met three Police officers at the Katugastota Police the trio visited the alleged scene where the crime occurred. Senior Assistant Government Analyst testifying further said at the scene a concrete post was tilted which was partly damaged. And the damage which seemed to be a recent one may be from an impact. The light posts were damaged and the soil had been upturned. He examined the place for a long period but could not find any clue in connection with the incident. He took photographs of the place and produced same before the court. W. D. G. Sarath Gunatilake further stated that he, then moved to the Wattegama Police around 4 p.m. where he examined two damaged vehicles, a Toyota Hi-Ace van (250-1655) and a Toyota super custom van (56-2771). Later on he went to Teldeniya Police around 6 p.m. and examined the two damaged Land Rover Defender jeeps. They were green. They did not bear the number plates so that he noted down the chassis numbers which he produced before the court. Witness further said in evidence that one of the defender jeeps did not have the windscreen and the spare wheel which was on its bonnet. In the jeep he found the rear door of the self jeep, spare wheel, beading of a glass, a white shirt, a damaged blue colour garland, a black polythene bag, a pair of rubber slippers and pieces of clothes. When the Additional Solicitor General Palitha Fernando inquired as to whether pieces of glasses were observed in the vehicle W. D. G. S. Gunatilake answered in the negative. He further submitted that the rear side signal light and the off side park light of the jeep were damaged. An edge of the driver's door bore two marks of damages but they were not penetrated. The canvass of the jeep was also damaged. In addition, an impact mark was observed more to the left of the buffer and on the bonnet. Witness further stated that he was given some specimen found allegedly from the scene by a CID officer and he took them for further investigation. On December 11, he removed the damaged near side signal light and the other for further investigation. The Senior Assistant Government Analyst further submitted that he was summoned by the Teldeniya Magistrate on December 21, 2001 to examine a windscreen in connection with the incident. Therefore he went to the Katugastota Police and examined a windscreen kept in a cell and took photographs. The windscreen bore marks of cracks. Then the windscreen was removed to the Teldeniya Police station under his supervision. Further hearinghs resume today (3). |
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