The Families of the Disappeared, a collective of families whose children were allegedly abducted by a group of Navy officers, expressed their disaffection with the ongoing judicial process into the incident, claiming that it could delay justice for the victims.
Speaking to the media yesterday (28) following the case being heard before the relevant Court, the mother of an abducted youth, Jennifer Weerasinghe, said that the case was adjourned until August of this year (2024). She added that the relevant authorities must look into the matter sensitively and take measures to do justice as soon as possible.
She also said that they have a reasonable doubt about whether the ongoing judicial process is being hampered by certain political influences. She further noted that the accused parties do not support the Judiciary in carrying out the procedures, and that those parties are attempting to evade the judicial process deliberately using the privileges and power that they have.
Therefore, she urged the Government and the responsible authorities, including the Judiciary, to expedite the process of doing justice for the victims. Weerasinghe further noted that while they were hopeful of the case when it was decided to be heard before a trial-at-bar, now, the families of the abducted youths are utterly disappointed with the current progress of the case.
Those youths were allegedly abducted for ransom by a gang of Navy officers, allegedly led by Hettiarachchi Mudiyanselage Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, alias Navy Sampath. The youths had allegedly been held at Naval facilities in Colombo and Trincomalee between 2008 and 2009.
Of the 11 missing persons, five were allegedly taken into custody on 17 September 2008, by Navy personnel, along with a black Tata Indica. The Police has identified them as Rajiv Naganathan, Pradeep Vishvanathan, Mohammed Sajith, Thilakeswaram Ramalingam, and Jamaldeen Dilan. Those involved in the operation were believed to have been accompanied by a Navy informant named Mohammed Ali Anwar, alias Hadjjiar, of Karagampitiya, Dehiwela.
Subsequently, the 28-year-old informant too, allegedly disappeared and is listed among the 11 missing. The remaining five persons are Kasthuriarachchilage John Reid, Amalan Leon, and his son Roshan Leon, Anthony Kasthuriarachchi, and Kanagaraja Jeganathan.
Source: the morning