AG files four reports on KP

Barred from leaving country

Lakmal Sooriyagoda-Thursday, October 29, 2015

The Attorney General has filed four reports in Court on the LTTE's former leader of the International Wing Shanmugam Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP, as directed by the Court of Appeal consequent to a writ petition filed by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Jayantha Jayasuriya appearing for the Attorney General informed Court that the AG filed these four reports based on the information given by police on four occasions dated June 2, June 4, June 19 and October 15 this year. The ASG said that these reports had been filed in Court on October 20 through a motion.

However, the Additional Solicitor General did not reveal the contents of the reports which were submitted before Court.

Meanwhile, Justice Vijith K. Malalgoda (President of the Court of Appeal) directed that a copy of the reports be handed over to the petitioner for his perusal. Justice Malalgoda observed that the concerned

reports are yet to be attached with the case docket. However, Justice Malalgoda directed the lawyers who appeared for the petitioner that the petitioner's stance regarding these reports be informed on November 12.

Meanwhile, Court further extended the interim order for November 13 directing the Controller of Immigration and Emigration to prevent KP from leaving the country.

While expressing his dissatisfaction over a web publication, Justice Malalgoda denied that he accepted dollars from the Rajapaksa family.

Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma with Sunil Watagala appearing for the petitioner informed Court that KP is instrumental in arms procurement for the LTTE and he had played a different role as the LTTE's international Wing leader.

On August 31, the Attorney General submitted to Court that so far no offence has transpired against KP in respect of the reports examined by him on the writ petition filed by the JVP.

In his petition, JVP MP Vijitha Herath sought an order for KP's arrest and the institution of legal proceedings against KP who was appointed LTTE leader in 2009.

The Court was informed that there are about 193 serious allegations against KP in the writ petition including arms procurement and money laundering charges.

The Court of Appeal had asked the AG to announce what kind of legal action had been taken against the former LTTE arms procurer.

The Police Chief, the Defence Secretary, the Controller of Immigration and Emigration, the Army Commander, the Kilinochchi Security Forces Commander, the TID Director, the Attorney General and Kumaran Pathmanathan were cited as respondents.

The petitioner sought an interim order directing the Controller of Immigration and Emigration to prevent KP from leaving the country until the final determination of this application.

MP Herath said KP also known as Kutti Master was the chief international arms procurer for the Tamil Tigers and was appointed as the head of the LTTE by its elusive leader Velupillai Prabhakaran just before he was killed by army troops in 2009.

He said India's Central Bureau of Investigations (CIB) had named KP as a key suspect in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi by a Sri Lankan Tamil suicide bomber during an election rally in Tamil Nadu.

The MP said KP was responsible for equipping the LTTE with modern-day arsenal which enabled them to challenge the Sri Lankan military and to fight an intensive war.

He said he had learnt that KP was operating a social service organisation - the North East Rehabilitation and Development Organisation (NERDO) and the Sencholai Children's Home while being under protection of the Sri Lankan Army.

He said that in terms of the information provided to the public by the Sri Lankan Government, KP has committed offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the Penal Code, Prevention of Money Laundering Act and Emigrants and Immigrants Ordinance.