Submitting a report regarding the health condition of former Megapolis and Western Province Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, the Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer has opined that former Minister does not have a life threatening disease and he is fit to attend courts.

 

Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Ajith Tennakoon has come to this conclusion after examining the health condition of Champika Ranawaka while being treating at a private hospital during the last trial date. On the previous occasion, Parliamentarian Ranawaka was not present before Court, but he was represented by his lawyers.

 

Chief Judicial Medical Officer said the treating physician was of the view that since most of the investigations are within the normal range, the patient can be discharged from the hospital and pancreatic tumor can be managed later by a surgeon and gastroenterologist. 

 

The Chief Judicial Medical Officer further stated that he is expressing this opinion after examining ten medical tests carried out on Patali Champika Ranawaka.

 

Senior Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Pieris appearing for the Attorney General alleged that the accused is deliberately attempting to postpone court proceedings with blessing of some medical practitioners.

 

However, President's Counsel Anuja Premaratne appearing for the accused denied the allegation and said anyone can get sick at any time. He reiterated that his client has the right to access with health care and denied the fact his client is attempting to mislead the court.

 

Meanwhile, Colombo High Court Judge Damith Thotawatta decided to fix the further trial into Rajagiriya accident case for February 18. The five prosecution witnesses in the case were noticed to appear before Court next trial date.

 

The High Court Judge made this order when the Rajagiriya motor accident case filed against Champika Ranawaka was taken up for hearing.

 

The Colombo High Court had earlier rejected the preliminary objections raised by Patali Champika regarding the maintainability of the indictments filed over the alleged motor accident that took place in 2016 at Rajagiriya. 

 

Subsequently, Ranawaka filed a revision application challenging Colombo High Court's decision to reject his preliminary objections. This revision application is to be heard before Court of Appeal on January 24.

 

The indictment comprising 16 charges had been filed against MP Patali Champika, his driver Thusith Dilum Kumara and former officer In Charge (OIC) of the Welikada Police Station Sudath Asmadala on charges of fabricating false evidence, a conspiracy of fabricating evidence and submitting false reports to the Court. 

 

The main charge is relating to conspiring and fabricating false evidence to claim that it was Dilum Thusith Kumara who was driving the vehicle which caused the accident and another charge relates to him allegedly conspiring to conceal evidence to protect MP Patali Champika from legal penalty.

 

ASP Sudath Asmadala was charged with producing a false report to the Colombo Magistrate’s Court to protect former MP Patali Champika from legal penalty.

 

The first indictment was filed against former MP Patali Champika on charges of causing grievous injury to a youth named Sandeep Sampath while recklessly driving a vehicle. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)