Court Approves Virtual Testimony from Ex-President Rajapaksa in Long-Running Disappearance Case
June 02, Colombo (LNW): The Jaffna Magistrate’s Court has authorised former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to provide evidence via video link in proceedings related to the disappearance of two political activists more than a decade ago.
The case concerns the unresolved disappearance of Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan, both associated with a civil society movement that campaigned on issues relating to missing persons and post-war accountability. The two men vanished in the Jaffna peninsula in December 2011, shortly before an event organised to coincide with International Human Rights Day.
The matter has remained the subject of legal scrutiny for several years, with family members pursuing judicial remedies in an effort to uncover the circumstances surrounding the activists’ disappearance. A Habeas Corpus application filed before the Court of Appeal led to directions for witness testimony to be gathered through the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court, which has been overseeing related proceedings since 2012.
As part of the inquiry, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who served as the Defence Secretary during the disappearance, was later identified as a witness and summoned to provide evidence. However, his legal representatives repeatedly informed the court that he faced difficulties travelling to Jaffna due to security-related concerns and sought permission for him to testify remotely.
In earlier hearings, the court requested supporting documentation regarding the alleged security risks before considering the application. Following the submission of the required material, the matter was revisited when the case was called this week.
After reviewing the request, the Magistrate granted approval for Rajapaksa’s evidence to be recorded through video conferencing technology, allowing him to participate in the proceedings without appearing in person.
The decision is expected to facilitate the continuation of the long-running inquiry, which remains closely watched by human rights advocates, legal observers and the families of the missing activists. The case has become one of several unresolved disappearance investigations linked to Sri Lanka’s post-war period and continues to draw public interest more than a decade after the two men were last seen.
Court proceedings are scheduled to continue with the recording of witness testimony as the inquiry moves forward.
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