Detectives probing the attack on the MBC/MTV television station are looking at a virtually blank screen with their investigations so far leading to no breakthrough but only drawing flak from a magistrate this week.On Monday, the Gangodawila Chief Magistrate, Wasantha Jinadasa, granted bail to five suspects the police produced in court claiming that they were linked to the attack. Four of them were arrested in connection with an incident at a nearby temple on January 5, five hours before the television station was attacked in the early hours of Tuesday January 6. The magistrate ruled the two incidents were not connected and reprimanded the police for trying to mislead court.
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| Detectives inspecting the MTV station after the attack on January 6 |
The fifth suspect who was enlarged on bail on Monday was Kotte Municipal Council’s opposition UNP leader Suraj Anthony Jayasuriya. Police said he was arrested following a tip off by an anonymous caller who, according to the police, had seen weapons being transferred from a white van to the politician’s jeep.
When The Sunday Times contacted the police, a senior officer said their probe was two-pronged – one trying to find out whether the attack on the TV station was an attempt to bring the government into disrepute and the other dealing with the use of a claymore mine in the attack.
The officer who did not wanted to be named said that they had made no further arrests after the court released the five suspects on bail.
One of the issues raised by defence lawyers in court on Monday was why the police had failed to produce the suspects at an identification parade as there were witnesses who had seen the attackers.
Police told court that the suspects were not produced at an identification parade because the attackers wore masks.
Police also said the jeep they had taken into custody bore a false number plate. They said that though the suspect had claimed that the last registered owner was one N.B. Mahindasoma from Kirullapone, detectives found there was no such person at the given address.
Police also told court that other details given by Mr. Jayasuriya regarding the ownership of the jeep were also contradictory.
In the face of doubts raised by defence lawyers regarding the anonymous call, the police asked court to issue an order to the Defence Ministry to release details about the call that came to police emergency line 118 and 119.
Defence lawyer Nissanka Nanayakkara told court the detention of the jeep had no connection with the temple incident where a group of UNP supporters had an argument with the chief priest after he refused to go for a Bana preaching ceremony in the night.
The Chief Magistrate held with the argument put forward by the defence but allowed the police to detain the vehicle for further investigations.
The Chief Magistrate also reprimanded the police saying they had attempted to distract the focus from the main investigation by bringing two unrelated incidents. He then ordered that all five suspects be released on bail.
The case will be taken up again on March 18.
Attorneys Vidura P. Manchanayaka, Methsiri Paranavithana, Padmakumara Senaratna and Nissanka Nanayakkara appeared for the defence.
Meanwhile, police arrested four people, including two suspects who were released on Monday, following their alleged unruly behaviour outside the Kotte Municipal Council building on the same day. The four suspects were remanded till Wednesday over allegations that they attacked the security post of the council buidling, after they lit fire crackers to mark what they saw as a court victory. Police said the suspects pelted stones at the guard post. |
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