Mr President, They Kill To Hide Lasantha’s Murderers

By Kalana Edirisooriya –October 27, 2016

Lasantha Wickrematunge was killed on the 8th of January 2009 and by now it is clear why the investigation was directed to the TID by Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Terrorism Investigation Division was headed by Gotabaya acolyte DIG Wakishta. The cover up to prevent the murder leading to the actual perpetrators was hatched together with the decision to murder Lasantha.

People would recall how “White Van” abductions, murder and intimidation of journalists took place under the Mahinda/Gotabaya regime. It is evident once the whole enchilada is placed on the table that all these crimes were well orchestrated by that regime, including cover ups. Just recall how the money laundering took place. The ill gotten money was filtered through various means and one would be naive to believe Gotabaya and his team from the Military Intel did not know of such shenanigans when they knew every heartbeat of journalists who were keen to do their job true to his/her calling.

Lasntha with Ex-President Mahinda and Justice minister Wijeyadasa

It is unbelievable that man could be so vile to take an innocents life simply to cover up for another murder. Only a serial killer or psychopath would do or order such. Once such orders are given, the minions who carry out become indispensable and also feel that they too could use foul means to amass wealth and pay off private grudges.

This has a snowballing effect and that is exactly what happened even though the rulers tried to camouflage by using willing cohorts to rouse up communal feelings.

Lasantha’s murder investigation was gathering dust after DIG Wakishta informed Court that it was the LTTE who were suspected to have killed the award winning journalist. Fresh investigations have uncovered that it is Army Intelligence officers who are suspected of that dastardly act. How DIG Wakista was so off the trail is unfathomable unless he too was part of the cover up.

The LTTE was set up when a motor cycle was found ditched in a field not far from where the journalist was murdered. That was the design for the cover up. Two innocents were murdered so that the motor cycle lead goes no further. The owner of the motor cycle and a friend who happened to be with him when a Defender picked them up with the motor cycle were identified much later off Anuradapura, shot through the back of their heads.

Lets go back and check the initial stages of this investigation. Pitchai Jesudasan. a motor mechanic from Nuwara Eliya was arrested along with Kandegedara Piyawansa. It was alleged that Piyawansa was instrumental in obtaining five sim cards by using Jesudasan’s ID card. These sim numbers had followed Lasantha on his death ride on the 8th of Jan 2009.

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