In an unprecedented turn of events, Army legal officers retained a private counsel yesterday for the suspects who have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.
Army legal officers retained Counsel U.R. de Silva, a senior lawyer, when the habeas corpus case on Eknaligoda's disappearance was taken before the Homagama Magistrate Court.
This move clearly demonstrated the sense of distrust between the Army and the Attorney General's Department, the main legal body of the government, over the case.
However, the Homagama Magistrate rejected bail for the Army intelligence officers who are remanded over the Prageeth Ekneligoda disappearance case.
Although the legal unit of the military does not appear on behalf of Army personnel facing criminal charges, they have made an exception on this case on several counts.
Meanwhile, the Lawyers Collective, issuing a statement yesterday, reiterated that the criminal elements should not be permitted to destroy the due administration of justice, when their criminal acts are under investigations.
"Further, the use of communal slogans to intimidate the highly respected investigators demonstrates the unprincipled character of these politicians who are prepared to stoop to any law level to cover up their misdeeds. Ultimately the verdict will be by Courts of Law which function independently without any political or other influence. Therefore the officers and politicians who are being investigated will enjoy due process, if they are charged before a Court of Law," the statement further added.
