Mahinda alleges Cabinet minister behind Eknaligoda’s murder

By Chamodi Gunawardana

Putting forward his own take on investigations former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday claimed a Cabinet minister could allegedly be behind the abduction and killing of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.

He made these observations during a visit to the Welikada prison hospital to meet former military intelligence officers detained on allegations of murdering Eknaligoda.

“We all want to know who the real killer of Eknaligoda is. The murderer might be a Cabinet minister or not. However we should not point our finger at  anybody without clear evidence. First of all we should find out whether Eknaligoda is alive or dead,” Rajapaksa stressed. 

He pointed out that his regime also conducted investigations over the kidnapping of Eknaligoda, but did not arrest innocent army personnel as suspects.

“The Government had arrested a number of intelligence officers on charges of killing Eknaligoda. Some were released and some were held in Welikada.  I believe it is an insult to the entire army force,” he claimed. 

Lieutenant Colonels Shammi Karunaratne and Praboda Weerasekara, Sergeant Major Upasena and retired Corporal Ranjith Rupasena are in Welikada in connection to Eknaligoda’s murder. The charges against them include allegedly killing Eknaligoda at the Trincomalee Point Army Camp and sinking his body in the seas off the eastern shoreline.