Vanished scribe building a house, or caught up in ‘Sexposure’?

By Gayan Kumara Weerasingha

One month has lapsed since the mysterious disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda on February 24. During this time police have not been ableto hone in on a single clue regarding the abduction.
However, at a press conference held at the media centre for national security, the new police spokesperson SP Prishantha Jayakody claimed that Prageeth’s disappearence mystery will be solved in a week. At a press conference held at the information department, Minister of Mass Media Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana also said the same thing. Although two responsible persons claimed that the Prageeth case would be solved, nothing significant has happened as yet. According to police sources, there is no investigation being done by the Homagama police about the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda. One complaint made by his wife has been recorded, and that’s it. The investigations on this case, have been carried out by a special police team. Investigations are still at the initial stage. Sleuths are analysing telephone networks. According to police sources, they have located several suspicious telephone messages. The mobile phones identified have a link to Batticaloa. The people who had bought the mobile connections, have secured them after providing false information. Now the police is faced with the challenge of identifying the real buyers.
On February 13, a state run newspaper reported on its front page that Ekneligoda has been seen in Dambulla, Inamaluwa and Matale. The newspaper had reported that Ekneligoda was hiding in a house in Inamaluwa, Dambulla, belonging to a person named Raja, during the period of the presidential election. According to this report, Raja had taken part in the 1971 insurgency. It had also been reported that Ekneligoda had been to a fertilizer and seed shop in Dambulla, belonging to a person called Amaradasa and had also met Siripala Kandumulla, a journalist. The report also stated that Ekneligoda stayed at a church in Wahakotte, Matale.

Sexual behaviour

Police spokesperson SP Prishantha Jayakody, commenting on the news report said that the news was incorrect.
Speculation is rife as to whether Ekeneligoda’s disappearance has anything to do with the article he wrote on the alleged sexual proclivities of a Cabinet heavyweight. The said article had been published in the Lankaenews website without a byline.
However, the government’s official statement about the case was, that Ekneligoda’s disappearance was a drama enacted to bring the government to disrepute during the presidential election.
The truth about this episode is still a mystery. The authorities are now seeking the assistance of the State Intelligence Service.
However, the government too is keeping an eye on the progress of investigations and it is revealed that the authorities are keen to crack the case promptly.