Slain Editor Lasantha Wickremathunga’s remains were reburied yesterday morning at 11.22 am under tight security at the Borella cemetery.
The body of the late editor was exhumed for fresh investigations to be carried out after seven years of his death. The Court order was made subsequent to an application made by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) requesting to exhume the body. Police personnel from the Borella police station and CID officials as well as the Grama Niladhari of the area and a family member was among the people who were present at the Borella cemetery to witness the event.
The veteran journalist, Editor-in-Chief and founding editor of Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickremathunga was followed by unidentified persons in motor bikes and was shot at Attidiya, Dehiwela on January 8, 2009. Although at the time of his death it was believed that the gunshot wounds to his head would have killed him, later investigations revealed that death may have caused by injuries sustained from a sharp object which pierced through his skull. This was brought to light after two medical reports had contradictory results as to the cause of death. The findings of the autopsy conducted on the remains of the slain editor after exhumation is yet to be produced before Courts.