Court rejects habeas corpus petition filed by former JVP leader Rohana Wijeweera's wife

The Appeal Court today (Feb 15) rejected a habeas corpus application filed seeking to produce in court, former JVP leader Rohana Wijeweera who went  missing following his arrest in 1989.

Appeal Court Justices Deepali Wijesundara and Arjuna Obeysekera had stated that the case was dismissed since legal remedy was not sought for nearly 30 years following the abduction.

The Attorney General and ten others were named as respondents in the habeas corpus petition which was filed by Shrimathi Chithrangani Wijeweera, the wife of the former JVP leader.

However, the attorney representing Ms. Wijeweera had told court that his client would challenge the Appeal Court's decision to reject the case by filing an appeal at the Supreme Court.

The complainant had informed court that her husband was abducted on November 12, 1989 by security forces and has been missing since then. She also claimed that the government has failed to notify her as to whether her husband was alive or dead despite 29 years passing by since the abduction.

Therefore, she requested the Appeal Court to issue a notice to the respondents demanding that they produce her husband before courts.

Former Defence Secretary General Siril Ranatunga, former Defence Deputy Minister Ranjan Wijeratne, General Hamilton Wanasinghe, and General Sisil Vaidyaratne have been named as repsondents in the case.