Chief of Defence Staff Ravindra Wijegunaratne, the senior-most serving miliutary officer in Sri Lanka, has suddenly left the country early this morning, just hours before his scheduled statement to the CID. 

Informed Police sources told Asian Mirror that the CID offcers were unaware of Wijegunaratne's overseas visit. The Chief of Defence Staff had informed the CId that he would appear before the investigators on September 10 and give a statement over his alleged involvement in the murders of 11 youth. 

Wijgunaratne had reportedly left for Qatar this morning. Souurces close to his offce said Wijegunaratne flew overseas on a "government assignment" and there was nothing secretive about the visit.

It is learnt that Wijegunaratne is expected to attend the Mexico National Day celebrations on behalf of the Sri Lankan government. 

Although court permitted the CID to arrest Wijegunaratne, his passport had not been impounded. 

With this unexpected development, the CID is now perplexed if Wijegunaratne too will turn out to be an Arjuna Mahendran - the former Central Bank Governor who is cuurently in Singapore, avoiding arrest for several months. 

CID that there was substantial evidence against Wijegunaratne to suggest that he helped the former Navy officer to flee to Malaysia to avoid Police arrest. 

It was revealed last week that the suspect had also received Rs. 500000 from a Navy account to flee to Malaysia. 

Sampath was arrested in Colombo by the CID, recently, with a forged ID.