I DIDN’T DRIVE VEHICLE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT

Says he was hiding from Dec. 17 in the former minister’s house in Battaramulla until he surrendered to court

Former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka’s then driver Dilum Thusitha Kumara has stated in his second statement that he didn’t drive the car involved in the accident that took place in Welikada and he has no connection to the said incident as revealed to court yesterday by Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Pieris, when the case was called before the Colombo Additional Magistrate Kanchana Neranjala De Silva.

This second statement relating to the vehicle accident at Welikada in 2016 has been given by the former driver of the minister following the statement he made to the Colombo Crime Division on December 28 last year. He mentioned in it that he had been hiding from December 17 in the suspect minister’s house in Battaramulla until he surrendered to court.

The Deputy Solicitor General on behalf the Attorney General, Colombo Crime Division OIC Chief Inspector Neville De Silva, Chief Inspector Fernando appeared in court and submitted a further report about the incident.

The Deputy Solicitor General said the investigation into this case has been now finalized and more statements have been recorded from Nishantha Pradeep Alwisanother driver of the former minister, ASP Sudath Asmadala who was the then Welikada OIC and, Minister’s security officers sergeant 36135 and IP Kumara .

He also said many contradictions were found in the statement made by driver Nishantha Pradeep and did not match with the phone records and statements made by the two security officers of the former minister.

The Attorney General will take necessary steps on the second suspect’s confidential statement made in court under section 127 of penal code.

He further said driver Pradeep Alwis had led the second suspect to the Borella police in the vehicle involved in the accident and asked him to surrender to the police without fear.all his statements have been found to be false and they are considering the possibility of naming him a suspect.

It is also evident that the then Borella OIC Sudath Asmadala has acted on his own without conducting a proper investigation despite proper investigations then being conducted by the Talangama Traffic ASP Herath

After this matter was referred to the relevant police of Welikada by Borella OIC Pragathi Lakkhana, a case was filed in the Colombo Traffic Court and the Magistrate had given his decision which is still under observation.

Attorney Anuja Premarathna appearing on behalf of the suspect former minister remarked that now it has become a practice for the IGP to ask junior officers to check the accuracy of instructions they receive from the Attorney General.

Attorney Premarathna also sought court permission to temporarily withdraw the foreign travel ban as his client is due to to visit Australia for two weeks during March and May.

Deputy Solicitor General said the foreign travel relevant documents had to be reviewed to consider such withdrawal.

Defence Attorney Gunarathna Wanninayaka also spoke in support of the suspension of travel ban.

The Judge fixed March 4 to consider the matter.

The Judge fixed May 13 to hear the case relating to the two suspects.

The first suspect former minister were released on a cash bail of Rs 25,000 and two personal bail of Rs 500,000 each on December 24,2019.The second suspect Dilum Thusitha Kumara was released on two personal bail of Rs 250,000 each on December 6, 2019.

Two youths Sandeep Smpath and Manula Minsuka Abesundera were injured in the accident that took place in Rajagiriya on February 28, 2016.

The suspect Dilum Thusith Kumara was produced before court by the Welikada police on March 3, 2016 and released on bail.

Court imposed a foreign travel ban on Thusitha Kumara on December 14, last year.