Initial Military Police Investigations Find Those Soldiers Not Involved in Any Criminal Act

Preliminary investigations of the Sri Lanka Military Police into Monday (20) night’s arrest of civil-clad three Army soldiers with a weapon in Mirihana area while travelling in a white van, have confirmed that neither those soldiers, nor the vehicle in question, was involved in any criminal act whatsoever, but necessary legal action would be instituted against breach of military law, if any upon completion of Military Police investigations, Military Spokesman, Brigadier K.J Jayaweera said.        

Military Spokesman Brigadier K.J Jayaweera, responding to media queries over the Police arrest of three soldiers during a Media briefing at the Media Centre for Ministry of Defence on Wednesday (22) further added that those three soldiers in question were not found involved in any political agenda or any other illegal act as alleged by some according to the investigations of the Military Police.

“On the instructions of the Secretary Defence and the Commander of the Army, Military Police are conducting a parallel investigation and the Military Police have been asked to fully cooperate with Police investigations too. Like in previous instances, impartial investigations, despite ranks are underway and more information could be revealed afterwards upon completion of investigations,” he added.

Commenting on the arrest of two LTTE suspects in South India, the Military Spokesman underlined that India’s arrest would not pose any threat or danger to Sri Lanka’s national security concerns, although various media reports are published regarding the arrest in India.
    
He pointed out that the vehicle has been issued to Major General Prasanna Silva who has rendered a commendable service during the humanitarian operations against LTTE terrorism.    

Asked by media personnel whether any action had been taken against Major General Silva, to who the weapon and the vehicle had been assigned, Brigadier Ranjith Rajapathirana, Judge Advocate General of the Army, said that such action would be meted out only upon the findings of the Military Police investigations in the future in accordance with Army judicial procedures.

Brigadier Ranjith Rajapathirana, Judge Advocate General of the Army and Colonel Edward Jayasinghe, Director Legal Services were also present at the Media briefing.