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CID yet to receive email database 

15 Jun 2021

  • Ship’s agent raises email privacy concerns 

  • Additional Magistrate warns of non-compliance contempt 

  • CID to probe Harbour Master-Captain communications 

By Pamodi Waravita    The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is yet to receive the electronic mail (email) database pertaining to communications between the MV X-Press Pearl ship Captain and the local shipping agent, it was revealed during the ongoing legal proceedings concerning the MV X-Press Pearl maritime disaster.  The CID had previously sought the database from the local agent Sea Consortium Lanka Private Limited for its investigation into the maritime disaster and even obtained an order from the Colombo Magistrate’s Court to that effect.  However, the Colombo Magistrate’s Court was informed yesterday (15) by Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Madhawa Tennakoon, who is representing the Attorney General’s (AG) Department, that owing to complications about the size and scope of the database and privacy-related concerns raised by the respondents, it is yet to be received.  President’s Counsel (PC) Sarath Jayamanne, speaking on behalf of the local agent, said that although the Court had instructed the CID to only obtain the emails relevant to the incident, the CID had requested the entire database which infringes upon the privacy of the business.  Further, Anura Maddegoda PC, representing the managing director of the local agent company had said that the database amounts to around 6,000 gigabytes and that it is currently being prepared to be handed over to the CID.  The Additional Magistrate has stated that if a party is dissatisfied with an order from the Court, they could then seek the legal advice from Higher Courts. However, without doing so, if Court orders are not followed, then action could be taken on the basis of contempt of Court, the Additional Magistrate had noted.  Meanwhile, Jayamanne PC has informed the Court that communication data between the ship Captain and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Harbour Master should also be investigated by the CID, without which suspicions about the investigations would arise.  Accordingly, the Court has ordered the CID to commence investigations into the communications between the SLPA and the ship Captain.  The Chairman of the local shipping agent company is due to give a statement to the CID today (16).  The case will be heard again on 30 June.


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