JVP MP Handunetti said Eknaligoda alive in Belgium: MP Arundika Fernando
Wednesday, 17 July 2013 00:02
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Lakmal Sooriyagoda
MP Arundika Fernando giving evidence in the case of missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda before the Homagama Magistrates’ court yesterday said that JVP MP Sunil Handuneththi had told him that Ekneligoda was alive and was living in Belgium.
He named Handuneththi after the lawyer who led evidence, Upul Kumarapperuma, asked Fernando to name the Opposition parliamentarian who he claimed in a newspaper had also informed Fernando that Eknaligoda was alive.
“Since it’s in Court I will name him- he was Sunil Handuneththi,” he said.
Giving evidence further MP Arundhika Fernando said his statement in Parliament regarding the existence of missing journalist Prageeth Ekanligoda was made on the trust he had placed on the word of Manjula Wediwardane.
Fernando told court that he had never seen Prageeth Eknaligoda and it was Wediwardane who had, in fact, recognised him. He further said Wediwardane told him that the man who had entered the home in France at that time was Prageeth Ekneligoda.
“I initially did not know where in which part of France I saw Manjula, but later the driver told me that it was in a place called Deutche in France which borders Switzeraland. It was a three roomed house but unlike in other places where Sri Lankans welcome a parliamentarian I wasn’t welcomed here. It was there that Manjula showed me a short and bald person and told me that was Prageeth,” he said.
Fernando added that Wediwardena was his childhood friend from his school days at St. Peters College.
“We were in school together and he was a good writer. I had not heard from, him for a long time and it was after I went to France to meet my mother and my sister that I was made aware of Wediwardena’s presence in France. Thereafter I found his number and called him on 5 January 2012. We decided to meet on 9 January 2012,” he said.
When questioned, Fernando said that he informed a “person who is an authority for national security in this country” upon his return from France regarding this meeting.
When urged by the counsel to reveal the name of the individual to whom he had reported the sighting of Eknaligoda, Fernando declined.
“I cannot say it in open Court” he said.
The counsel further asked the witness if he informed the Sri Lankan delegates to Geneva in 2012 regarding his rendezvous, Fernando replied in the negative.
“No I believe that the person I revealed this to earlier would have informed them,” he said.
In replying to a query by petitioner’s counsel, witness MP Arundika Fernando further said that he had also able to read a letter tabled in Parliament dated 12 June, 2013 signed by K.A. Ranjith the Additional Secretary (Parliament and Civil Affairs) the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development stating that there was evidence to prove Prageeth Ekneligoda had been abducted by an organised group.
Further magisterial inquiry into the incident was postponed for 21 August by Magistrate Y.R.D. Nelumdeniya.
Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma appeared for the petitioner Sandaya Ekneligoda. President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa with Niroshan Siriwardane appeared for parliamentarian Arundika Fernando and Deputy Solicitor General Shavindra Fernando appeared on behalf of the Attorney General.
