A Sri Lankan police inspecter was arrested today over the killing of 27 inmates at Welikada prison in 2012.
The inspector, Neomal Rangajeeva was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and is expected to be produced before Colombo chief magistrate tomorrow, Colombo Page reports.
Last month Sri Lanka’s Appeals Court ordered the Attorney General to present a review of an investigation into the 2012 Welikada Prison riots, which saw 27 mainly Sinhalese inmates killed during a prison riot by security forces. Eye witnesses said the officers executed many of the inmates in cold blood.
As the riot spread across the prison, located in Colombo, more than 180 Tamil political prisoners were reportedly moved from Magazine prison in Welikada to another jail for their own safety.
Welikada prison houses a number of Tamil political detainees. Previous prison riots, notably in 2000, 1997 and 1983, have resulted in Tamil political prisoners being murdered by Sinhala mobs.
