Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Wijegunaratne released on bail

The Fort Magistrate Court yesterday granted bail to the Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, who was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) last month for assisting the main suspect in the abduction and disappearance of 11 Tamil youths to evade court.

Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake granted bail to Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, after Fort Police refuse to name him as a suspect in the intimidation of a witness in the abductions case, Navy Lieutenant Commander Laksiri Galagamage.

Fort Magistrate Court released Admiral Wijegunaratne on two surety bails of Rs. 1 million each, as the CID did not object to his release. Dissanayake strictly warned Admiral Wijegunaratne not to exert his influence to intimidate the witnesses in the abduction case or on the investigations.

The Magistrate also warned the CDS that the bail would be revoked and he would be remanded until the end of the trial if a complaint was made that he threatened the witnesses.

The Chief of Defense Staff was remanded on 29 November, after he surrendered to the Court for allegedly aiding former Navy Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, alias Navy Sampath, the main suspect of the abduction case.