Deputy Solicitor General Madhava Tennakoon told the court yesterday (07) that several emails sent to the local agency by the captain of the burning ship “Express Pearl” had been deleted by an employee of the company and that investigations were being carried out.
It was when the complaint was filed in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court before the Colombo Additional Magistrate Shalani Perera, naming seven persons, including the Managing Director of the local agent of the ship, as suspects and seeking a notice to summon them to court.
The Deputy Solicitor General told Court that the chemical leak on the ship has been going on since May 10.
He requested that Arjuna Hettiarachchi, the Managing Director of Sea Consortium Lanka Pvt. and seven persons should be named as suspects and a notice should be issued to them to appear before the court.
President’s Counsel Sarath Jayamanne, appearing for the ship’s Chief Engineer and Second Engineer, objected to the request stating that the Magistrate’s Court has no jurisdiction to hear the case and that it should be done by the High Court.
After considering the facts presented, the Colombo Additional Magistrate dismissed the request stating that she had no jurisdiction to issue a notice to summon the suspects.
