Protester released from car case

19 October 2010 08:35 am

The Colombo Fort Magistrate today acquitted and released the man who climbed a steel hording outside the Vihara Maha Devi Park from the case where he is alleged to have committed a criminal breach of trust with regard to a rented vehicle.

When the case was taken up for inquiry before Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne, the complainant party agreed to settle the matter since the suspect Mahesh Asanka de Soysa had expressed his willingness to pay an amount of Rs.56, 000.

The vehicle owner in a complaint to the CFIB alleged that suspect had committed a criminal breach of trust.  
The CFIB said the suspect could be charged over the non-payment of the car rental and alleged that the suspect and his wife had stayed at a tourist hotel in Kandy for about 22 days and left the rented car behind promising to return with the cash to pay the hotel bill.

The CFIB also alleged that the switch key of the rented car had been sold to an unsuspecting three- wheel driver for Rs.26, 000. The hotel manager had also lodged a complaint with Kandy police on this matter.  (LS)