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Thajudeen Murder Case: CID Questions Rajapaksa PSD officers

The Court was informed today that several officers attached to the Presidential Security Division (PSD) serving under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, were being investigated over the murder of Wasim Thajudeen.

Filing a report before Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris, Senior State Counsel Dilan Ratnayake told Court that Staff Sergeant Udaya Nandana Nagahawatta Arachchi, who was serving in the PSD at the time, had been extensively interrogated by the CID over the incident.

In it's report, the CID submitted to Court that four other officers attached to the PSD were also questioned.       

Meanwhile, the former senior DIG of the Western Province Anura Senanayake and the former Crimes OIC of the Narahenpita Police Sumith Champika Perera, previously arrested over their alleged role in the cover-up of Thajudeen's murder, were ordered further remanded till August 3, by the Colombo Additional Magistrate.

The Additional Magistrate refused to release the suspects on bail, citing he did not have the jurisdiction to grant bail to the suspects, who have been charged under Section 296 of the Penal Code, for conspiring to commit murder.

On July 27, 2015 the CID submitted to Court that the death of Thajudeen was not an accident, but murder.

While delivering the verdict, Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris on February 25 ruled that the death 'appeared' to be murder and ordered the CID immediately arrest all suspects involved in the incident and produce them before Court.

Thajudeen was killed in what was purported to be a road accident in Colombo in May 27, 2012.

Investigations conducted so far have revealed that Thajudeen’s teeth and the bones in the pelvic region were broken, his neck pierced with a sharp instrument and the muscles on his legs cut with broken glass, prior to his death.

Police earlier maintained that Thajudeen lost control of his car while driving to the airport, and had crashed into the wall of the Shalika Grounds at Park Road, Narahenpita. They said his vehicle had exploded within seconds of the crash.