Brigadier Arrested for Intimidating Witnesses in the Prageeth Eknaligoda Case

14-Jun-2025

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In connection with the ongoing case before the High Court concerning the abduction and disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, retired Brigadier of the Military Intelligence Division, Shammi Kumararatne, has been arrested on allegations of threatening key witnesses.

He was produced before the Trincomalee Magistrate's Court on Jun 11, 2025, and has been ordered to be held in remand custody until Jun 25, 2025.

Prageeth Eknaligoda, a journalist, was reported missing on January 24, 2010. Investigations into his disappearance suggest that he may have been abducted and possibly murdered.

As part of this case, indictments were filed by the Attorney General before the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar against ten individuals, including retired Brigadier Shammi Kumararatne. 

Most of the accused were serving in the Military Intelligence Division during the time the incident is believed to have taken place.

In this context, it was revealed in the Trincomalee Magistrate's Court yesterday that the main witness in the case, Suresh Kumar, had been threatened by the retired brigadier. 

This statement was made by the Head of the Investigation Division of the Witness Protection Authority.

It was also disclosed that Suresh Kumar had been repeatedly threatened through the personal mobile phone number of Shammi Kumararatne.

Considering the seriousness of these developments, the Trincomalee Magistrate ordered that Shammi Kumararatne be remanded until Jun 25, 2025.