Former AG says suspects were released following Poddala’s statement

Wednesday, 23 November 2011 

Former Attorney General (AG) Mohan Peiris has told in Geneva that the two suspects arrested in connection with the attack on senior journalist Poddala Jayantha were released based on the statement made by him.

The former AG had made this statement as the Sri Lankan representative at the sessions on Anti Torture in Geneva.

A senior journalist told Lanka News Web that the police had taken into custody the Editor of Lankaenews, Sandaruwan Sendheera and the News Editor of the website, Bennet Rupasinghe, who has first informed the police of the attack on Poddala Jayantha.

He said that the two journalists taken into custody in connection to the attack were never involved in the assault case.

The senior journalist said it was clear that the intention was to hamper the investigation by the police moving to arrest the two journalists who informed of the attack on the advice of the AG. He added that the former AG’s statement has clearly shown that the police and the AG’s Department have worked together in the case.

According to the senior journalist the statement made by the former AG that the suspects in Poddala Jayantha’s assault case were released based on his statement is lie aimed at misleading the international community.