Avant Garde Ex-store Keeper, Ops Manager further remanded | Daily News

Avant Garde Ex-store Keeper, Ops Manager further remanded

Galle Chief Magistrate Nishantha A. Peiris yesterday further remanded former Store Keeper of Avant Garde Floating Armory Army Colonel Don Thomas Albert Wijethunga and its Ex-Operation Manger Major Millaniyage Sumudu Nishantha De Costa until June 28.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) submitting a report before the Magistrate stated that the investigations into the alleged unlawful floating armoury on board MV Avant Garde were still in progress and no institution or person was legally permitted to keep firearms in their possession except the Prison Department and the Tri Forces.

A special permit is issued to any non-governmental institution or individual who take custody and care of firearms. At the time of the arrest, the MV Avant Garde had no such licence, the CID told courtt.

The CID officials further told that there were two pending appeals in court pleading anticipatory bail on the respective suspects.

The lawyer for the defendants argued that three years had been passed since the arrest of the vessel and the letters issued by the Defence Secretary with regard to the weapons on board the ship and respective licences with regard to the disputed arms on board had been duly produced.

The CID stated that the investigations into the alleged offence is not completed, the defense pointed out.

The Magistrate, after considering the submission of the two parties, ordered that the suspects be further remanded until June 28. The ship MV Avant Garde was seized by the Sri Lanka Navy on October 13, 2015 for allegedly keeping a firearm depository on board and handed the issue over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for investigations.

 


Add new comment