Notice issued on Kirulapone Police minor complaints OIC

By Bhagya Silva

Colombo, Jan. 19 (Daily Mirror) - Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today ordered that a notice be issued on the Officer-in-Charge of the Minor Complaints Division of the Kirulapone Police to appear before court and make submissions. 

The Magistrate also ordered that the further hearing of evidence in the case filed against former Minister Wimal Weerawansa and six others be taken up again on March 9.

The case has been filed over allegations of causing public inconvenience by blocking roads and staging a protest in front of the United Nations Office in Colombo in 2016, opposing the visit of the then United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein to Sri Lanka.

The sixth and seventh witnesses gave evidence before court today over the incident. The witnesses were two bus drivers who operated buses on the Pettah to Piliyandala and Pettah to Homagama routes on the day of the incident.

While giving evidence, the two witnesses stated that due to the protest conducted by the suspects in a manner that obstructed the main road, bus services were delayed and passengers were compelled to disembark from the buses.

The Magistrate further inquired whether additional witnesses were yet to testify in relation to the incident.

It was also revealed before court that investigating officers had not yet provided evidence regarding the preliminary investigations, including the arrest of the suspects.

Accordingly, the Magistrate informed the police that no investigating officer had so far been named to give evidence on the preliminary investigation relating to the incident.

Considering the matter, the Magistrate ordered that a notice be issued on the Officer-in-Charge of the Minor Complaints Division of the Kirulapone Police to appear before court and make submissions in this regard.

This case was filed by the Kirulapone Police over a protest held on February 6, 2016, in front of the United Nations Office, including along the Thummulla Road, opposing the visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, during which several roads were obstructed.

The protest was organised by former Minister Wimal Weerawansa and a group of others during the visit of the UN High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.

The suspects, former Minister Wimal Weerawansa, Weerakumara Dissanayake, Jayantha Samaraweera, Roger Seneviratne and Piyasiri Wijenayake, appeared before court today.