By Camelia Nathaniel
A special army inquiry into the attack on the Army Major by Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne, has concluded that the officer had no official business at the JAIC Hilton premises on the day of the incident and is therefore guilty of bringing disrepute to the army by being involved in a brawl.
According to highly placed army sources, Army Commander, Jagath Jayasuriya, is expected to determine the course of action to be taken against the Major. An official statement on the report’s conclusion is expected to be released by the army sometime today (24).
The comprehensive report of the Court of Inquiry, appointed by the Army Commander, to investigate the attack on Major Chandana Pradeep Susena, an intelligence officer, by Malaka Silva, son of Minister Mervyn Silva and Rehan Wijeratne, stepson of late Minister Mano Wijeratne had,... ...according to high placed army sources, determined that the officer had not been on duty at the time of the incident, as claimed by him earlier.
The report which was handed over to the Army Headquarters yesterday has also concluded that the army officer had no requirement to be at the location on an official capacity, on the day of the incident.
“The legal directorates are scrutinizing the report, and according to the findings of the court, the officer has taken the liberty to go there on a personal level,” an internal source at the Army Headquarters said, noting that hence, Major Chandana Pradeep Susena’s involvement in the brawl and the ensuing actions have brought disrepute to the army.
Earlier, the Major told the Colombo Fort Magistrate Courts that he was on official duty, at the JAIC Hilton Hotel, when the incident happened in the early hours of September 9. He also said he had informed his senior officers about his presence there.
Responding to questions posed by Magistrate Kanishka Wijeratne, during the magisterial inquiry, Major Pradeep said as the senior intelligence officer investigating cases on drug traffickers and the underworld, he had received information about the possible presence of two drug traffickers due to arrive at the location.
Major Pradeep initially lodged a complaint with the Slave Island Police claiming that he had been attacked at the JAIC Hilton car park, while on official duty, and identified Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne, as the attackers. Later in an affidavit submitted through his lawyer Dinesh Dodangoda, he said though they were present, they were not involved in instigating the assault or assaulting him.
