Counsel pleads security for client, witnesses

COLOMBO: Additional District Judge and Colombo Magistrate M. A. A. Anawaratne adjourned the proceedings in the inquest into the death of Morris Wickramasinghe of Nawala, as the Welikada Police, inquiring into the murder, informed Court that the witnesses were not present in Court and their whereabouts were not known. They filed a B Report stating these facts.

Hemantha Warnakulasuriya, PC, stated that he had received instructions to appear for the immediate family of the deceased. The deceased, Morris Wickramasinghe, a brother of Nihal Wickramasinghe, also known as "Godfather" alias Nawala Nihal.

He had disappeared without a trace and was believed to have been killed. After he was abducted, his other family members received death threats that the entire Wickramasinghe clan would be killed.

His other brother Noel Wickramasinghe, was also killed after they received death threats. Thereafter, on February, 1st, 2007, Morris Wickramasinghe was killed. After he was killed, the entire family had gone into hiding.

"The family has informed me that they have received information and threats that they would be killed on their way to Court or inside the Court premises on their return home. Therefore, unless they are provided with adequate security, their safety cannot be guaranteed by anyone".

"They have appealed to me to request security from the Defence Ministry Secretary. I have already informed Gotabhaya Rajapaksa verbally and as soon as I am able to contact my clients, I shall communicate with him officially to provide security during the hearing of the case," Warnakulasuriya said.

"On the instructions I have received, the deceased Morris Wickramasinghe, two or three days prior to his death, has addressed a letter, to the Chairman of the Police Commission, stating that there was a conspiracy to murder him to enable the killers to forcibly enter and possess a plot of land, two acres in extent, situated at Nawala, which is presently worth millions of rupees.

The conspirators, include a woman, who is a brothel keeper and a Senior Superintendent of Police, who had already got him to transfer 16 perches of land as a bribe. And in the final paragraph of the letter, he has said if he is murdered the Police Officer is responsible," adverted Warnakulasuriya.

Warnakulasuriya, thereafter requested wife of the deceased Mangalika Wickramasinghe be recorded in camera so that the secrecy of the evidence would be maintained.

As the Welikada Police comes under the purview of this Police Officer and as serious allegations have been made against him, he would request that the investigation be carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department.

The Magistrate said if witnesses are threatened the Court will take very serious note of it. When the application is made and evidence recorded he will make an appropriate order about the security of the witnesses and about handing over the investigations to the CID.

The case will be mentioned on February 26, 2007. Hemantha Warnakulasuriya, PC with Anoma Jayasekera, Sumithra Waidyasekera, Ajith Wijesinghe, Aruna Mallawarachchi instructed by Shantha Perera appeared for the relatives of the deceased Morris Wickramasinghe.