Monday, October 03, 2005

Court shocked as policemen fail to identify SSP’s killer by Susitha R. Fernando

The Colombo Chief Magistrate yesterday expressed shock after ten police officers who were with SSP Charles Wijewardena when he was brutally killed failed to identify the suspect at an identification parade.
Magistrate Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena asked the CID whether the ten policemen had received any death threats.
The Magistrate made this observation when the CID filed a report in connection with the identification parade held to identify the suspect Kathiramalai Vaithian alias Veerapandian alias ‘Gopi’.
“If the policemen cannot arrest and identify a murder suspect of a senior police officer, a serious question arises as to how they would act with regard to a killing of an ordinary person,” the magistrate said.
The identification parade was held at the prison premises and seven persons who had similar physical features as the suspect were produced. To maintain the credibility of the parade, the police had produced seven persons who had lost their hands.
The Magistrate ordered that the suspect be remanded till October 12.

(http://www.dailymirror.lk/2005/10/01/front/3.asp)

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