Doctor and Minor employee released

24 February 2012 02:44 pm

The Medical Officer and a minor employee of the Sevenagala government hospital who had been on remand for poisoning the water storage tank in the Chief Medical Officer’s official quarters were released today by Embilipitiyia Magistrate Roshantha Sanjeewa Jinadasa on a cash bail of Rs.35,000 and personal bail of Rs.3.5 million.
 
However, the Sevenagala Police conducting further inquiries into the incident objected to the release of the suspects. Attorneys at Law Neil Gunatillake and Bandunatha Dissnayake who watched the interests of the aggrieved party told court that the suspects could be charged for conspiracy to murder and attempted murder and that their release on bail would affect further inquiries.
 
Attorneys at Law Vijitha Punchihewa, Annada Silva and Ruwan Ranasinghe pointed out that the Magistrate had the power to release on bail a suspect taken into custody in connection with conspiracy to murder or attempted murder. They told court that the hospital employee filed an affidavit stating that he did not make a statement that he poisoned the water tank at the instigation of the medical officer.
 
The Magistrate released the medical officer on a cash bail of Rs.25,000 and personal bail of Rs. 2.5 million and the hospital employee on a cash bail of Rs.10,000 and a personal bail of Rs.1 million. (Ajithlal Shanthaudaya)