Former Navy Spokesman Commodore D.K.P Dassanayake, who is in remand custody, has been ordered to be transferred to the Prison Hospital from the Welikada Navy Hospital.
Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne made this order taking into consideration a request made by both prosecution and aggrieved party of the case alleging that seventh suspect D.K.P.Dassanayake was enjoying special privileges while being at Welisara Navy Hospital, contrary to the normal prison procedure.
The Magistrate observed that the Navy Hospital cannot be considered as a public hospital maintained by government in accordance with the Prisons Act. She further said that a consultant physician had also recommended that the suspect does not need surgical intervention to his back-pain symptom.
Commodore Dassanayake and five others arrested on the charge of aiding and abetting the abduction and disappearance of 11 youth in 2008 and 2009.
He was ordered to be further remanded till November 29 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate.
The Court refused bail for the suspects citing that there is no exceptional circumstances to release the suspects on bail. Dassanayake was not produced in court by prison authorities citing that he is currently receiving treatment at a hospital.
On July 12, the CID arrested the former Navy Spokesman at the Sri Lanka Navy base in Welisara following an investigation into the incident. The Colombo Fort Magistrate had earlier rejected a request made Dassanayake to leave the country for a foreign course. On a previous occasion, the CID informed Court that the 11 persons who were abducted by unidentified groups in Colombo and the surrounding areas in 2008, had been taken to underground detention cells at a navy camp in Trincomalee which were supervised by a Navy Lieutenant Commander.
The missing persons were abducted by an unidentified group at Dehiwala, Battaramulla and Wattala in 2008 and 2009. Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara with OIC of CID’s Gang Robbery Unit, Inspector Nishantha Silva prosecuted.Counsel Achala Seneviratne appeared for the aggrieved parties.