Gota To Be Summoned To 'Fourth Floor' Over Secret Death Squad Allegation

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa is now in hot water after the revelation that he allegedly ran a secret death squad with the involvement of the former Army intelligence unit chief. 

Highly placed Police sources said the former Defence Secretary, the brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, would be summoned before the CID soon over the death squad allegation. 

The CID earlier this week informed the Mount Lavinia Magistrate that  Journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge had been killed by a special unit attached to the Army intelligence wing which operated under retired Major General Kapila Hendawitharana. 

The CID'S statement was based on former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka's statement to the CID over Lasantha Wickrematunge's killing. 

The former Army Commander had said the unit operated under the instructions of former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. 

He had also added that at the time of Wickrematunge's murder, Hendawitharana and Rajapaksa were in charge of the security of the capital city. 

Top police sources said Rajapaksa would soon be questioned on Fonseka's revelation and Lasantha Wickrematunge's killing. 

Rajapaksa, however, has vehemently denied secret death squad allegations.

“I deny any involvement with these killings,” Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told AFP. “If he (Fonseka) knew there was a secret hit squad, what action did he take as Army Commander?”