Information from Fonseka targeting Gota for Lasantha's assassination

Information from Fonseka targeting Gota for Lasantha's assassination

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka testified last Friday (20) for a period of close upon 6 hours in connection with Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunga's assassination and it is understood that some matter connected to the Secretary of Defence at that time Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who had issued orders to Mr. Fonseka who at that time was the Army

Commander during the period the said murder took place.

The day following after he had given his testimony, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka who attended a function at Hunupitiya, he had spoken in this manner: "Investigations on this incident is not moving in the right direction ... I have told before this too. The police asked me the reason for me to say such a thing. At that time I was the Army Commander. What was on my shoulders during that period was the seriously responsible task of salvaging the country from horror and terrorism. I had no responsibility of making investigations about crimes taking place in the country. There were two powerful elements behind this matter. This was carried out by the gang who were manipulated by the two of them. Even retired senior officers encouraged that gang. Everyone knows who it was that had the biggest misunderstanding with Lasantha at that time. Lasantha was all prepared to expose about the Mig transaction or deal. Those who are involved in a homicide act would never ever accept responsibility for it ... don't they? Just as much as I went forward as a Minister and told what I knew ... there is no right for those aware of this to refrain from going to provide testimony as such".

It is revealed from Police Headquarters sources that the Criminal Investigation Department is to interrogate former Secretary of Defence Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in relation to these cases of homicide in this connection. Several other most senior officers of the Headquarters of United Defence Operations of the former regime inclusive of the former Secretary of Defence in relation to the Lasantha homicide are to be questioned. The Criminal Investigation Department has already secured a host of some significant information about the manner in which the team of Army Intelligence officers who came to murder Lasantha went into action and one Intelligence Unit officer has been taken into custody and remanded. Sometime back a retired Sergeant of the Intelligence Unit in Kegalle had hanged himself to death saying that it was he who is responsible for the death of Lasantha; but the police have still not revealed whether the deceased is actually directly connected to the homicide or not.