Sri Lankan investigators arrest army officer over editor's killing

Sri Lankan investigators on Saturday arrested an army officer, attached to the Sri Lanka Army Intelligence Unit, over the murder of popular editor and journalist, Lasantha Wickremetunga, the police said.

The arrest came months after police sought public assistance in tracking down the suspects in connection with Wickremetunga's murder after the police, in February, released sketches of two persons who were suspected to be involved.

Wickrematunge was the founding editor of the privately-run Sunday Leader newspaper. He was shot dead in January 2009 by a group of unidentified men, in a high security zone, while he drove to work in broad daylight.

He was a staunch critic of the former government of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who have denied any role in the editor's killing.

The Sri Lankan government led by Maithripala Sirisena, who came to power in January 2015, had reopened investigations into Wickremetunga's murder, vowing to commence a thorough investigation and arrest all those involved in the killing. Endit