AG directs Acting IGP to trace crucial witnesses over Trinco student killings

The Attorney General (AG) today directed the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) to investigate into the whereabouts of three key witnesses who failed to testify before the Trincomalee magistrates court over the killing of five students in Trincomalee on January 2, 2006.

The move came after the Chief Magistrate if Trincomalee made an order on last Wednesday discharging the accused in a Non- Summary inquiry on the basis that the available evidence led in the Non- Summary does not make out a prima facie case against the accused. 

“However, the evidence of two surviving injured persons of the incident and one of the parents of a deceased student, Dr. K. Maohara could not be led as the CID was unable to locate the whereabouts of the said witnesses,” a statement issued by the Coordinating Officer to the AG, State Counsel Ms Nishara Jayaratne said. 

Accordingly details of three key witnesses as follows; Y.Punkalalogan, Pararajasingham Kouwulraj and Dr Kasipillai Manoharan. 

The CID reported to Court that the crucial witnesses mentioned above were not at their local addresses and that they were reportedly abroad. However, they were unable to confirm this fact and obtain foreign address of the witnesses concerned for the purpose of serving summons on them. 

As a consequence of this failure to locate the witnesses, the prosecution had to move for several adjournments in the Non- Summary inquiry. Therefore, the accused in this inquiry were discharged. 

Meanwhile the Magistrate in his order dated on July 3, has stated that the discharge of the accused does not prevent the AG from re-initiating a Non- Summary of new material is discovered.