March 02, Colombo (LNW): Two former Sri Lankan Army Intelligence officers, who were arrested on suspicion of their involvement in the 2008 abduction and assault of journalist Keith Noyahr, have been granted bail by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court.
Accordingly, the suspects were each granted two surety bails of Rs. 1 million.
The pair, aged 42 and 46, were apprehended on 1st March by officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the Nawagaththegama and Elayapaththuwa police divisions.
Their arrests came as part of the ongoing investigations into the violent attack on Noyahr, which took place nearly 17 years ago.
The incident occurred on 22nd May 2008, when Noyahr, a respected journalist at the time, was abducted by a group of individuals and subsequently assaulted in a van in the Waidya Road area of the Dehiwala Police Division.
The assault shocked the nation and raised serious concerns about the safety of journalists in Sri Lanka.
The two suspects are both retired personnel from the Military Intelligence Corps (MIC), and investigations suggest they were allegedly involved in orchestrating or carrying out the assault.
They are residents of the Nawagaththegama and Ulukkulama areas. Despite the passing of years since the incident, the CID has continued its investigation, working towards uncovering the full details of the attack and identifying all individuals involved.
Whilst the suspects have been granted bail, the CID is expected to continue with their investigations.
