Colombo Additional Magistrate – Keminda Perera yesterday (April 25) ordered the Criminal Investigation Department to complete the investigation regarding the Xpress Pearl incident and report the facts to the court immediately.
The magistrate also ordered that the audio tapes containing conversations between the stricken vessel and its local agent, to be submitted before the court.
However, the State Counsel who appeared on behalf of the CID when the case was taken up on Thursday (25), has sought a period of one month, in order to present facts in relation to the investigations.
The lawyers representing the captain of the destroyed ‘X-Press Pearl’ ship and the directors of the relevant local agent, who have been named as respondents of the case, noted that a trial with regard to the maritime calamity is already underway before the Colombo High Court.
They have also raised questions concerning the need for conducting further investigations into the same incident against this backdrop.
(Source : Aruna)
