4 army officers arrested over killing of journalist in Sri Lanka

Four army officers have been arrested in Sri Lanka over the abduction and suspected killing of a political journalist during the regime of former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, police said on Monday.

The disappearance of Pradeep Ekneligoda five years ago was never investigated after senior members of the former president’s regime claimed that the journalist was living overseas.

Investigations launched by President Maithripala Sirisena after his election against Rajapaksa in January revealed that the journalist was abducted and held in an army camp in north central Sri Lanka before being killed.

“The Criminal Investigations Department on Monday questioned four army officers, including two lieutenant colonels over the disappearance of the journalist.
“They have been placed them under arrest for further investigations,” police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said.

Ekneligoda was contributing to an anti-government website when he was abducted two days ahead of the January 2010 presidential elections that handed Rajapaksa victory against former army commander Sarath Fonseka.

President Sirisena has vowed to investigate the killings of journalists that took place during the 10-year rule of Rajapaksa.