A Sri Lankan court has refused to allow the police to perform forensic tests on bullets recovered from eleven victims killed in Allaipiddy on May 13, 2006, citing the time lapse.
The officials had wanted to test fire weapons obtained from the SLN and compare them to the bullets recovered from the victims.
The CID claimed that such an examination would shed some light in identifying those involved in the killing of the eleven civilians, including eight from the same family.
Citing the fact that more than a year had passed since the killings and that many of the naval personnel at the Karainagar Naval base had since been transferred to other locations, the Kayts Magistrate refused to allow the police to proceed.
He also mentioned that the weapons used during the killing would most likely be different to any currently being used, and comparing these bullets will likely fail legal scrutiny, and thus would not serve any purpose.
However, the magistrate went on to specify that if any civilian could identify those involved in the killings, then the bullets from the weapons of those identified could be compared with the bullets from victims' bodies and subjected to forensic examination.
Stressing the critical legal need to have an identification parade, the Kayts magistrate adjourned the trial until June 25.
He also directed the police to arrange for an identification parade of the SLN troopers who served in the area during the Allaippiddi massacre.
On May 13, 2006, unidentified gunmen, widely believed to be SLN soldiers, entered the home of Sellathurai Amalathas in Allaipiddy and opened fire. Eight people were killed on the spot, including a four-month-old baby and four-year-old boy. Another person died later in hospital. On the same night, another two civilians were also killed, allegedly by the same group of gunmen.
The officials had wanted to test fire weapons obtained from the SLN and compare them to the bullets recovered from the victims.
The CID claimed that such an examination would shed some light in identifying those involved in the killing of the eleven civilians, including eight from the same family.
Citing the fact that more than a year had passed since the killings and that many of the naval personnel at the Karainagar Naval base had since been transferred to other locations, the Kayts Magistrate refused to allow the police to proceed.
He also mentioned that the weapons used during the killing would most likely be different to any currently being used, and comparing these bullets will likely fail legal scrutiny, and thus would not serve any purpose.
However, the magistrate went on to specify that if any civilian could identify those involved in the killings, then the bullets from the weapons of those identified could be compared with the bullets from victims' bodies and subjected to forensic examination.
Stressing the critical legal need to have an identification parade, the Kayts magistrate adjourned the trial until June 25.
He also directed the police to arrange for an identification parade of the SLN troopers who served in the area during the Allaippiddi massacre.
On May 13, 2006, unidentified gunmen, widely believed to be SLN soldiers, entered the home of Sellathurai Amalathas in Allaipiddy and opened fire. Eight people were killed on the spot, including a four-month-old baby and four-year-old boy. Another person died later in hospital. On the same night, another two civilians were also killed, allegedly by the same group of gunmen.
