Habeas Corpus applications taken up for inquiry

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 November 2004, 17:50 GMT]
Army corporal Rajapakse, one of the accused sentenced to death in the Krishanthy rape and murder case was again produced from prison in Jaffna High Court Wednesday in connection with several Habeas Corpus (HC) applications filed by parents of number of disappeared Tamil youths who were arrested by the Sri Lanka Army soldiers during 1996-1997 period and later reported missing, legal sources said.

These HC applications were taken up for inquiry Wednesday. As no counsel appeared for Corporal Rajapakse, the High Court Judge Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah put off the inquiry for November 5, and advised Corporal Rajapakse to approach the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to retain a counsel, legal sources said.

However Corporal Rajapakse has already made an application to court that he is prepared to give evidence in the HC applications listed for hearing in Jaffna High Court, revealing how the arrested Tamil youths had gone missing while in the custody of army as he was also serving in Jaffna during that period, legal sources said.

Corporal Rajapakse had wanted the court to treat him as a witness in the HC applications which have sought the court to order the respondents, former Army Commander Lionel Balagalle and army officials serving in the particular area when the arrests were made to produce the disappeared youths, legal sources said.