On Wednesday (24) it was revealed that CID investigators had attempted to show photographs of Attorney at Law Hejaaz Hizbullah to witnesses prior to an identification parade that was to be held. This was revealed by Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayaka. In open court, the Magistrate said that officers of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had attempted to show photographs of Hejaaz Hizbullah at his chambers prior to the recording of statements from two children.
Dissanayake told Hizbullah’s lawyers that prior to the recording of the statements from the two children, this attempt had been made. “I want to reveal this. The CID officers tried to show pictures and I had to tell them to leave the Chamber” he said.
The Two children had made voluntary statements on 12 May to the Magistrate in camera regarding Hizbullah. Later an identification parade was to be held including Hizbullah. Ten children had been summoned as witnesses to identify Hizbullah.
Hizbullah’s lawyers objected to the identification parade telling the court that the children had been coerced by the CID officers to identify Hizbullah, and the parade was a sham exercise. They said that pictures of Hizbullah were shown over media throughout and the holding of the parade in these circumstances was illegal.
Previously in May three fundamental rights petitions were filed against the CID by three minors accusing the organization of illegal arrest, coercion and intimidation of minors.
