Court summons former Navy Commander and 14 others

The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar yesterday issued summons for 14 individuals, including the former Commander of the Navy Admiral (Retd) Wasantha Karannagoda, to appear before the Court on 24 January over the alleged abduction and enforced disappearance for eleven youths in 2008. 

The 11 youths had been abducted in Colombo and the suburbs between 2008 and 2009. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) alleged that the youths were abducted for ransom and later disappeared by the alleged perpetrators.

Last year, Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera PC indicted Karannagoda and 13 others in connection with the abduction, torture, extortion and conspiracy to murder the 11 youths.

According to the Attorney General’s department, the 14 individuals have been charged with 667 offences. The Permanent High Court Trial-At-Bar was established by the Chief Justice on a request made the AG. 

In September last year, the CID recorded fresh statements from Karannagoda over the abduction and disappearances. 

Those abducted and disappeared were S.A. Leon Stanly, Roshan Leon Stanly, John Reed, Thiyagaraja Jhegan, Rajiv Naganadan, Ramalingam Thilakeshwaran, Pradeep Vishvanadan, Mohammed Saajith, Mohammed Dilan, Kasthuri Arachchilage Anthony and Mohammed Anwar Mubarak.