Police playing hide and seek in Lasantha probe

Government Analyst (GA) T.R.N.M. Liyanarachchi on Friday (8) told that his report on the murder of the late Editor-in-Chief of The Sunday Leader Lasantha Wickrematunge was handed over to the police a few weeks back.
The GA's revelation stands in stark contradiction of the position taken by the police that they have not yet received the GA report and hence the investigation is at a standstill. Police Spokesperson SSP Ranjith Gunasekera once again stated that the police were awaiting the GA's report for 'scientific evidence.' Wickrematunge was brutally murdered by unidentified gunmen on January 8 at Attidiya in the high security zone in close proximity to the Ratmalana Airport and Air Force Base, while on his way to office. Although the police appointed four investigation teams to investigate into the killing of Wickrematunge, the police are yet to make a breakthrough for the past two months. When asked as to what the latest progress into the killing of Wickrematunge was, SSP Gunasekera said that the police teams are still investigating into the telephone calls received by Wickrematunge and nothing else. "I was not told as to what is happening and still the police are awaiting the GA report for a breakthrough," SSP said. However GA, Liyanarachchi and his deputy W.D.G.S. Gunathilake confirmed to The Sunday Leader that they had sent the report to the Mount Lavinia Police a few weeks ago. "Copies of the report have been sent to SSP Mount Lavinia, Hemantha Adikari and to the HQI Mount Lavinia a few weeks back. So how could the police say that they have not yet received the report," queried Deputy GA, Gunathilake. All attempts to contact SSP Adikari for a comment failed.