Magistrate orders CID to produce all statements on Hejaaz investigation  

• Defence says CID producing selective evidence

Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake yesterday ordered the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to submit a comprehensive report on all statements obtained in the investigations relating to Hejaaz Hizbullah.

The order was made following an application by Counsel for Hizbullah who said that there jad been statements recorded from many parties including all members of Save the Pearls and persons from the Al- Zuhriya Madrasa.

The defence said that the Criminal Investigations Department had selectively filed only statements made by children and had left out all evidence which would show Hizbullah’s innocence. 

The Magistrate making the order informed the CID to produce all statements obtained from persons related to the investigations. 

The Magistrate also made an order the Deputy Inspector General of Police Western Province to submit a report on the investigations as to how confidential statements made in the Magistrate’s Court were leaked to the media.

Earlier, the Magistrate made an order to investigate the issue but the Police had not submitted any report with regard to the investigations yesterday.

Attorney-at-Law Hejaaz Hizbullah was arrested and is being detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act after which the CID informed Court that children at the Al Zuhriya Madarasa, to whom scholarships were provided by Save the Pearls charity, were given terrorist training.

Four children filed Fundamental Rights applications alleging that they were taken in alone for three days without their parents and were coerced to make statements against Hizbullah.

Counsel Wasantha Nawarathna Bandara, Hafeel Farisz and Ashan Bandara with other lawyers appeared for Hizbullah.