|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Wednesday, 03 November 2004 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
by Sandasen Marasinghe Police Sergeant U. N. Bandara Meegaswatte of Katugastota Police said, yesterday, that he did not collect the T-56 spent bullet cases from the scene of the Udatalawinna massacre or hand them over to Home Guard Weera Wickrama Bandara.The home guard himself collected them. He made this observation before the Trial-at-Bar hearing the Udatalawinna massacre case when he was cross-examined by Defence Counsel Anil Silva. The Trial-at-Bar comprise High Court Judges Eric Basnayake (president), Deepali Wijesundara and Sunil Rajapakse. Witness, examined by Deputy Solicitor General Palitha Fernando, said that he was on Police Reserve Service on December 5, 2001. Police Inspector (IP) Hiriyadeniya gave him a sealed parcel as production. Later he went to the scene with IP Ampawala and later to the Wattegama Police and indicated home guard W. W. Bandara from whom IP Ampawala took over the T-56 spent bullet cases. A windscreen of a vehicle was locked in a police cell. Cross examined by Defence Counsel Anil Silva, Sergeant Meegaswatte said although it is recorded in the Production Record that the production was taken over, normally the time that it is taken is not recorded. Witness left to Katugastota Police from Wattegama Police alone and he did not know if the spent bullet cases were sealed. Sergeant Meegaswatte further said that he did not collect the spent bullet cases but Homegard W. W. Bandara collected them and witness saw it. When IP Ampawala obtained a statement from witness at Katugastota Police the IP did not show him the spent bullet cases taken over from W. W. Bandara. Examined by Deputy Solicitor General Palitha Fernando Police Constable B. Ratnapala of Kandy Police said he worked in the armoury of the Police in the period in question and he took over 29 parcels from Police Sergeant Abeyratne on December 21 and handed them over to same on December 24, 2001 to be taken to the Government Analyst. Later Woman Police Constable W. Violet and Police Constable A. Premadasa who were on Police Reserve Service respectively gave evidence after Police Sergeant Meegaswatte when they were examined by Senior State Counsel Achala Wengappuli and said that they checked and took over the productions including the production handed over by IP Hiriyadeniya. When PC Premadasa was cross-examined by Defence Counsel Anil Silva he said that he did not know what was inside the sealed parcels and he handed the productions over to WPC Idigammana Kusumawathi when his duty was over. Deputy Solicitor General Palitha Fernando, Senior State Counsel Achala Wengappuli, Senior State Counsel Mohan Senaviratne appeared for the prosecution while Presidents Counsel Tirantha Walaliyadda and Anila Silva appeared for Defence. Further hearings were put off for today (2). |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
