139:. Rajapaksa tied Krishanti's hands together and then he and two other soldiers, W. A. W. Alwis and D. M. Jayathilake, pushed her into a bunker as she screamed. She was subsequently stripped naked. When Krishanti didn't return home her family became concerned and her mother Rassammah, brother Pranavan (Poonrnavan) and family friend Kirupakaran (Sithamparam Kirupamoorthy) went searching for her. They went to the checkpoint and asked if Krishanti was there. Rajapaksa denied that she was there and the family went away. The family returned to the checkpoint in the evening and demanded that Krishanti be released. Rajapaksa arrested the three. Pranavan, who was only 16, was stripped naked like his sister. Rajapaksa claimed that he told two senior officers, Lt. Thudugala and Wijesiriwardana, of the incident who told him to "eliminate them". That night Rajapaksa and three other soldiers (A. S. P. Perera, D. M. Jayathilake and D. V. I. Kumara) took Pranavan and Kirupakaran to Chemmani saltern. The boy was still naked. There Kirupakaran was murdered by strangulation using a rope, and Pranavan followed immediately after. The bodies of the two victims were buried by the four soldiers with the assistance of two other soldiers - R. J. M. Jayasinghe and W. S. W. Alwis. Later Rassammah was also murdered by strangulation and buried by Rajapaksa with the assistance of another soldier D. G. Muthu Banda. Then Rajapaksa took Krishanti to Chemmani saltern naked, and he raped her. Then R. J. M. Jayasinghe, G. P. Priyadarshana, A. S. P. Perera, D. V. I. Kumara, D. M. Jayathilake and Abdul Hameed Nazar raped Krishanti in turn. Krishanti was then murdered by strangulation and buried naked.
147:
Police
Constable Gunasekerage Pradeep Priyadarshana, Ambawattage Suranji Priyantha Perera, Waduwantrige Arnan Wijayananda Alwis, Dehigaspitiye Gedara Muthu Banda, Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Jayathilake, Lance Corporal Diyapatugama Vidanalage Indrajith Kumara and Abeysekera Pathiranalage Nishantha). Two police officers (P. A. Samarawickrema and Abdul Hameed Nazar) who helped dispose of the bodies were given immunity in return for testifying against the nine charged. P. A. Samarawickrema was arrested in connection with incident but later released. Abdul Hameed Nazar was given a conditional pardon by the
188:
June 1999 Rajapaksa was brought before Jaffna
Magistrate's Court. In a long statement Rajapaksa alleged that there had been widespread detention, torture and murder of civilians who had been rounded up for questioning by the army. He claimed he was only carrying out the orders of senior officers to bury bodies. He named several senior army officers who were involved in torture and murder. Rajapaksa claimed he and his co-accused could identify 16 burial sites. He was taken to Chemmani where he pointed one of the burial sites. Two skeletons were found which were later identified as mechanics from
219:
to Human Rights
Organisations. Be that as it may, it appears that an inquiry is to be held during the sixth month and if he shows them the "places" please note that all the members of the family will be murdered. Please take this as the first and the last warning. If you inform the Police about this you will also be murdered. You must ensure that Rajapakse does not show the places. The relevant positions have already been arranged to be ready to murder all of you if he shows the places. With good intentions we are giving you adequate notice.
205:
sustaining injuries to his mouth, below his left eye and to his chest. Later one of the attackers visited
Rajapaksa in hospital and warned him not to talk about the attack "or you won’t be able to leave the prison alive". Rajapaksa's family also received threatening letters. In one letter from “some members of the army” Rajapaksa's wife was warned:
218:
This letter is to all members of the
Rajapakse family. You are hereby informed that you should make him withdraw the statement he made in the High Court following his conviction in the Krishanthy Case. Even though he was repeatedly asked to do so he continued to issue statements regarding this matter
164:
on or around 7 September 1996 began on 18 November 1996 at the
Colombo High Court. All nine were found guilty on 3 July 1998. Six (Somaratne Rajapaksa, R. J. M. Jayasinghe, G. P. Priyadarshana, A. S. P. Perera, D. M. Jayathilake and D. V. I. Kumara) were sentenced to death. The three others (W. A. W.
187:
Following his conviction in July 1998 Rajapaksa issued a statement in which he claimed that he was innocent and that "there are 300 to 400 bodies buried on this land ...almost every evening, dead bodies were brought there and the soldiers were asked to bury them". Investigations were begun and on 16
159:
The court case against eight soldiers (Somaratne
Rajapaksa, R. J. M. Jayasinghe, A. S. P. Perera, W. A. W. Alwis, D. G. Muthu Banda, D. M. Jayathilake, D. V. I. Kumara and A. P. Nishantha) and a policeman (G. P. Priyadarshana) for the rape and murder of Krishanti and murders of Rassammah, Pranavan
146:
Following local protests three soldiers and two policemen were arrested by
Kankesanthurai police. Six soldiers and a policeman were charged. Two others were charged later, taking the total to nine (Lance Corporal R. Dewage Somaratne Rajapaksa, Rajapaksa Jayasinghe Mudiyanselage Jayasinghe, Reserve
209:
You are hereby informed that you should prevent the above-named from proceeding on the journey consequent to the statement made by him in Court as it will cause a big stigma on the
Government of Sri Lanka and the Army. It will also be a big boost for the Tiger Organisation. You are also hereby
204:
Rajapaksa was asked by guards to sign a statement to the effect that he had been emotionally disturbed when he made the statement to the High Court about the mass graves and that it had been untrue. Rajapaksa refused to sign the statement and was attacked by prison guards on 23 August 1998,
142:
Five days later the bodies of the four victims were found in a shallow grave within a cemetery. Krishanti and
Pranavan's bodies had been cut into several pieces and wrapped in black colored sheets. Rassammah and Kirupakaran had been strangled with ropes.
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informed that if he takes any action in this matter his wife, children and other members of his family should get ready to pay a big price by sacrificing their lives. This is the first and the last warning.
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754:
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Rajapaksa and the five other convicted and sentenced to death appealed against their convictions in July 2003. The appeal was dismissed by the
744:
635:
127:. At 3pm on 7 September 1996, as Krishanti was returning home after sitting an examination, she was arrested by Corporal Rajapaksa at the
774:
182:
639:
769:
120:
148:
463:
433:
333:
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521:
380:
764:
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Alwis, D. G. Muthu Banda and A. P. Nishantha) were sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and fined 50,000
643:
307:
739:
600:
132:
661:
596:"Krishanthi Kumaraswamy murder case : SC affirms conviction, sentence, dismisses appeal"
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259:
114:
102:
714:
675:
572:
498:
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657:
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8:
615:
533:
475:
445:
392:
345:
279:"ASA 37/16/99 Sri Lanka: Further information on Fear for safety: Somaratne Rajapakse"
567:
302:
166:
697:"Krishanthi Coomaraswami murder: Supreme Court affirms conviction, death sentence"
201:
595:
128:
98:
696:
415:"THE RAPE AND MURDER OF TEEN AGED KRISHANTI KUMARASWAMY BY SINHALESE SOLDIERS"
733:
537:
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449:
414:
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who had disappeared after being arrested by the army on 19 August 1996.
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658:"ASA 37/17/99 Sri Lanka: Chemmani exhumations --positive first steps"
95:
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In another letter dated 26 May 1999 Rajapaksa's family were warned:
719:
680:
620:
503:
161:
136:
381:"Krishanthy Murder Trial - Defendants Confess to Rape and Murder"
189:
256:"ASA 37/22/98 Sri Lanka: Fear for safety: Somaratne Rajapakse"
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who was sentenced to death for the gang-rape and murder of
715:"SC confirms death sentence on Krishanthy murder accused"
616:"World: South Asia Outrage over Sri Lankan 'mass grave'"
676:"Supreme Court to hear appeal in Krishanthy murder case"
636:"Sri Lanka - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices"
522:"Krishanthy Rape and Murder Trial: A Landmark Verdict"
464:"Nine Service Personnel Face Rape and Murder Charge"
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because of his "minimal involvement in the crimes".
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105:and three others. He is currently in prison.
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760:Prisoners sentenced to death by Sri Lanka
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594:Ramanayake, Wasantha (4 February 2004).
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755:Sri Lankan prisoners sentenced to death
750:People convicted of murder by Sri Lanka
695:Weerarathne, Chitra (4 February 2004).
499:"Death sentence for Krishanthi accused"
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289:
266:
241:
732:
511:
412:
745:Sri Lankan people convicted of murder
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303:"In the agony of rape, LTTE thrives"
13:
642:. 23 February 2001. Archived from
334:"Krishanthy Rape and Murder Trial"
183:Chemmani mass graves investigation
14:
786:
640:United States Department of State
668:
628:
566:SAMBANDAN, V. S. (July 1999).
434:"Rape and Murder Trial Begins"
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1:
235:
119:Krishanti Kumaraswamy was an
92:R. Dewage Somaratne Rajapaksa
775:Sinhalese military personnel
301:Mudliyar (3 November 1996).
7:
344:(12): 7–10. December 1997.
10:
791:
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112:
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196:Attacks and death threats
125:Chundikuli Girls' College
84:
76:
68:
56:
52:
44:
36:
28:
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474:(12): 4. December 1996.
444:(11): 4. November 1996.
308:Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
770:Sri Lanka Army soldiers
568:"Skeletons in Chemmani"
417:. Ilankai Tamil Sangam.
154:
601:Daily News (Sri Lanka)
221:
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701:The Island, Sri Lanka
662:Amnesty International
532:(7): 3–6. July 1998.
283:Amnesty International
260:Amnesty International
216:
207:
115:Krishanti Kumaraswamy
109:Gang rape and murders
103:Krishanti Kumaraswamy
391:(3): 4. March 1998.
232:on 3 February 2004.
133:Jaffna-Kandy Highway
160:and Kirupakaran in
23:Somaratne Rajapaksa
765:Sri Lankan rapists
723:. 3 February 2004.
131:checkpoint on the
16:Sri Lankan soldier
262:. 26 August 1998.
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624:. 29 April 1999.
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90:Lance Corporal
69:Criminal charge
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45:Criminal status
24:
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507:. 3 July 1998.
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285:. 9 June 1999.
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181:Main article:
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59:Conviction(s)
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72:Murder, rape
64:Murder, rape
526:Tamil Times
468:Tamil Times
438:Tamil Times
385:Tamil Times
338:Tamil Times
177:Mass graves
29:Nationality
734:Categories
236:References
200:Whilst in
96:Sri Lankan
37:Occupation
32:Sri Lankan
573:Frontline
538:0266-4488
480:0266-4488
450:0266-4488
397:0266-4488
350:0266-4488
48:In prison
720:TamilNet
681:TamilNet
621:BBC News
504:TamilNet
162:Chemmani
137:Kaithady
123:student
121:A-level
99:soldier
77:Penalty
40:Soldier
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224:Appeal
190:Jaffna
173:780).
167:rupees
580:(14).
94:is a
80:Death
534:ISSN
530:XVII
476:ISSN
446:ISSN
393:ISSN
389:XVII
346:ISSN
171:US$
155:Case
129:army
342:XVI
135:at
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