| CID confirms Ruwan Ferdinands is not a suspect, but... |
(Lanka-e-News -07.July.2012, 3.45AM) Mahinda Rajapakse’s ‘royal status’ cloak was torn into sheds by Lawyers yeaterday (6) in court . This was the result of the opposition mounted in Courts by Lawyers against the charges based on the illegal arrest of journalists last Friday by the CID. The indictment filed against the journalists was, they had damaged the ‘royal power’ of Mahinda Rajapakse.Saliya Peiris, the senior Lawyer who appeared on behalf of the journalists questioned, where is the seat of this ‘Royal power’ ? He pointed out that under the constitution of 1972 , this ‘Royal power’ was abolished , and now , there are no kings and kingdoms in Sri Lanka. The President has been appointed on the votes of the people , and therefore the sovereignty is with the people.
8 employees including journalists of the SL x news and SL mirror were taken into custody last Friday by the CID , and were produced before court the following day. The case filed against them was taken up for hearing yesterday (6) before Prasanna Alwis, the Magistrate of court six.
CID, IP Anura Silva told in court that a further report is being submitted today. Saliya Peiris, the senior lawyer appearing for the journalists stated , Ruwan Ferdinands is in court today , and is being produced to court. It was questioned whether he is a suspect or not ? Is he being searched for arrest ?
The CID answering the queries, replied , there is no necessity to arrest him. But the CID has to record a statement of his , as he is the owner of the Lanka x news and Sri Lanka mirror websites.
Lawyer Saliya Peiris pointed out that the CID is lying, for in the report A /836, forwarded by the CID , Ruwan Ferdinands is mentioned as a suspect. It is the CID ‘s aim to arrest Ferdinands on the pretext of recording his statement after he turns up at the CID. The lawyer told court , therefore they expect the court to grant him an anticipatory bail .
At that juncture the Magistrate Prassana Alwis asked the CID whether arrest of Ferdinands is necessary . The CID replied it has no such need.
The Magistrate then said no anticipatory bail is needed ,and requested Ferdinands to go to the CID and make a statement. At that moment lawyer Saliya Peiris told court that Lawyers are being obstructed from entering the CID, though the constitution provides for any individual to enter the CID along with a Lawyer to record his statement. He therefore said , this was a violation by the CID of the constitutional provisions. He requested court to grant permission for the suspect to go into the CID with a Lawyer . The Magistrate who accepted the contention ordered the CID to grant the permission requested. Ferdinands was directed by court to go to the CID on the 16th and record his statement.
| Saliya Peiris who posed three questions in connection with this case said, the complainant is not there for this case , and a case cannot be conducted without the complainant being present. He cited as a case in point , the Mahinda Rajapakse ‘Helping Hambantota’ where the case was not taken for trial based on this ground. The CID then stated , the DIG of the CID did make a complaint. Saliya Peiris brought to the notice of the court that this case has been filed under section 118 which has undergone changes ten years ago.. While postponing the case until the 20th of August, the Magistrate said, he is expecting the written submissions of Lawyer Saliya Peiris. This is a case that has drawn national and international attention. Senior Lawyer Saliya Peiris , Upul Thevaraperuma, , Ajith Pathirana , Manjula Pathiraja and Madhushanka Hewapathirana, Gunaratne Wanninayake and a host of Lawyers appeared for the journalists. In addition , a number of politicians, media Organizations, representatives of civil Organizations and two special representatives of the US Embassy also were present in court. |
| By Lanka e news court reporter |
