China sells substandard ammunition to Lanka!

 Wednesday, 18 September 2013

The Chinese government has sold a large consignment of substandard ammunition to the Sri Lankan government on a concessionary term basis, reports say. After the Defence Ministry found these ammunitions to be not up to any of the required standards, the consignment had been sent secretly to the Police Training Academy for use at its firing range.

Seventy five per cent of these ammunitions are not suitable for use. Some of them go off two to three minutes after being fired. Some more do not go off even after being dashed to the ground. During a recent firing training session for ministerial security division personnel, 600 of the 800 of these ammunitions used were found to be empty ones. Due to these substandard ammunitions, the firearms used during the training session had become malfunctioned.

The Police Training Academy has complained to the Defence Ministry, which has, in turn, lodged a protest with the Chinese government. China’s response has been that since the ammunitions had been sold on a concessionary term basis, the Chinese government cannot guarantee their quality.
Police intimidate Rathupaswala witnesses

By Ishara Ratnakara-Wednesday, 18 Sep 2013

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) yesterday charged that officers attached to the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) are intimidating the witnesses who have given evidence on the Rathupaswala incident. The BASL charged that witnesses giving evidence at the magisterial inquiry, held in connection with the three persons who died during the demonstration by the residents of Rathupaswala demanding clean drinking water, were obstructed from freely articulating evidence by the CCD officers, who kept disturbing them with murmurs.

Attorney-at-Law, Upul Jayasuriya, who appeared on behalf of the BASL, made this accusation during the magisterial inquiry, when the OIC of Malwathu Hiripitiya Police Station, Chief Inspector Sanath Bandara Mahelagoda, was giving evidence before the Chief Magistrate of Gampaha, Tikiri Jayatileka. A number of lawyers who were listening to the proceedings in the Magistrate's Court too stood up and confirmed the veracity of the accusation, saying they too understood what was going on, while adding, "We were also watching how the evidence was being recorded."

Jayasuriya further said, "It is after securing Court permission that we interrogated the witnesses. We did not ask stupid questions. While we were questioning the witnesses, the police officers were making noises. We request the officers to allow the witnesses to tell what they really want to reveal."

In response to the charge, Neville Silva of the CCD said, "We have no need to coach any witness on how to give evidence. We only objected to the repetition of the same question.

ASP Nuwan Wedasinghe said, "We have no necessity to murmur. We are only there to assist the Court at the Magisterial Inquiry. Nothing of what the lawyers alleged, happened here. They are trying to convey something else."

The Chief Magistrate said, "The police and the lawyers can only render assistance to the Court. During a Magisterial Inquiry other parties cannot take part. Please understand that clearly."