Major Chandana Pradeep Susena, who is at the centre of a controversy over an attack allegedly involving Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne, was on a mission to investigate a report about two drug traffickers when the incident occurred, a magisterial inquiry was told on Friday. The Major told the Colombo Fort Magistrate Courts that he [...]

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Malaka case: Major was at hotel to spy on drug traffickers

By Manopriya Gunasekara
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Major Chandana Pradeep Susena, who is at the centre of a controversy over an attack allegedly involving Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne, was on a mission to investigate a report about two drug traffickers when the incident occurred, a magisterial inquiry was told on Friday.

Malaka Silva being brought to courts on Friday. Pic by Amila Gamage

The Major told the Colombo Fort Magistrate Courts that he was on official duty when the incident occurred at JAIC Hilton in the early hours of September 9.“I had informed my senior officers about my presence there,” he told Courts.
Major Susena responding to questions posed by Magistrate Kanishka Wijeratne said that as the senior intelligence officer investigating cases on drug traffickers and the underworld he had received information about the possible presence of two drug traffickers due to arrive at the location.

The Major who initially made a complaint that he was assaulted by Minister Mervyn Silva’s son, Malaka, and former minister Mano Wijereatne’s son, Rehan, later in an affidavit submitted through his lawyer Dinesh Dodangoda said though they were present, they were not involved in instigating the assault or assaulting him.

The Magistrate questioned him whether he had given the affidavit under duress, but the Major said he gave it on his own. In response to a question as to how he made a contradictory statement to the police, he said that after the assault he was suffering from shock and the persons who took him to hospital told him that Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne were present there and it was on this information that he made the complaint.

The Magistrate reminded the Major that he had 16 years of experience in the battlefront during the war and it was surprising how a relatively smaller incident had shocked him.The Magistrate also questioned the Major as to whether he was aware that he could be charged for making a false statement to the police.

The Magistrate ordered the Colombo Crime Division to report tomorrow whether it would be filing charges against the Major for making a false statement. He said the video evidence from the CCTV cameras in the hotel could be taken into account and if necessary the Attorney General could be consulted on filing charges.

On the basis of the Major’s affidavit, Mr. Silva and Mr. Wijeratne were released on cash bail of Rs. 50,000 with two sureties of one million rupees each.




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