Evidence given in Court Martial case

COLOMBO: Rear Admiral T. S. G. Samarasinghe, Director General Operations at the Naval Headquarters giving evidence before the three member Commission Board of inquiry, Court-Martial, against a senior Naval Officer Commd: T.M.J. Mendis said that Naval Headquarters received information of suspicious boats on South East coast Panama and contacted STF Commandant DIG Nimal Lewke.

DIG Lewke had told the Rear Admiral that boats were heavily laden and they were going to cause damage to some naval base in the South or East.

The information had been given by a bungalow-keeper at Buthawa point. Later he sent two boats from Colombo, South and South East areas that were not adequately patrolled due to lack of resources.

The three member consist of Rear Admiral T.M.W.K.B. Tennakoon, Chairman.

The other two members are Rear Admiral D.N. Dharmaweera and Commd: R. R. Wijesundera. Commd. Mendis is charged on two counts under the Naval Act section 104 (1) of the Naval Act as amended of Act No 11 of 1993. Commd: Mendis who was in charge of the Southern Naval Area failed to take precaution and or counter measures with due care for the protection of the Naval Base, Ships, Crafts and personnel at Galle Harbour from terrorist attack despite the availability of prior reliable information on October 18, 2006 and repeated instructions from Naval Headquarters, an offence punishable under Section 104 (1) Naval Act.

He is also charged during the cause of the same transaction, the Commd; Southern Naval Area failed to obtain approval of Commander of the Navy prior to leaving -SLNS- despite specific instructions by the Navy Commander to proceed and stay at SLNS, due to a possible terrorist attack on Galle Harbour.

Rear Admiral Samarasinghe said that every information they received was shared with Commadant Mendis.

He also admitted that the signal that Naval headquarters sent on October 17 was received only on the following morning.

Commod. D.K.P. Dassanayake who was the senior Staff Officer on the day of the incident said that Commd.

Mendis was informed about a possible attack of the Galle harbour.

At this stage the defence asked Commod. Dassanayake, if the attack was possible on the Galle Harbour as to why 'Dvora' was sent off to Panama, which is 150 Nautical miles away from Galle harbour.

Navy Commandant Vice Marshal Wasantha Karannagoda in his evidence before the Board of Inquiry said that about the information to attack the Galle harbour was informed to Commmd. Mendis, CSNA-Dakshina, and to report to Galle Harbour immediately and stay there.

Commanding officer, Port Facility Security Office T.D.J. Perera, Lt. K. A. Kumara, Lt. H.P.M. Hewawasam and Capt. R.M.N.G.E. Ratnayake also gave evidence before the Board of Inquiry.

Prosecution had listed 39 witnesses to give evidence on behalf of the Navy. Prosecution also had listed 19 documents to be produced before the inquiry.

Commd. Shavindra Fernando with Commd: A.M.A.W. Weerasinghe appeared for the prosecution.

President's Counsel Denzil Gunaratne with Upali Senaratne and Ms. Udayangani Senevirate appeared for the Commd. Mendis.

Further proceeding was put off for today, January 29, 2007.