Graduates pay compensation for damages
They were undergrads at the time of the incident on July 12, 2010 and were taken into custody from a group who had been allegedly damaged the minister’s vehicle during the latter’s visit for a function at the Campus.
Kandy Chief Magistrate A.M.A. Vasantha Kumara severely reprimanded the eight graduates of the Peradeniya University and discharged them after they pleaded guilty and voluntarily paid Rs.100,000 as compensation for causing damages to Higher Education Minister S.B .Dissanayake 's official vehicle.
The Chief Magistrate, under provisions of section 306 (a) of the Penal Code, warned the students to be law abiding citizens and discharged them and advised them not to resort to any unruly behaviour and should be disciplined and set an example to the others to follow.
They were undergrads at the time of the incident on July 12, 2010 and were taken into custody from a group who had been allegedly damaged the minister’s vehicle during the latter’s visit for a function at the Campus.
Peradeniya Police filed a ‘B’ report, under the provisions of Anti-ragging Act that prevents damage to public property and unlawful assembly; had arrested the undergrads, remanded and later released on bail. The inquiry documents were sent to the Attorney General’s (AG) perusal and instructions.
Upon the AGs instructions, the Peradeniya Police filed a plaint on May 8, 2014 on two counts. First for unlawful assembly and for causing damage to the minister’s car, valued at Rs. 59,614 and the accused were summoned to appear on June 5, 2014.
The Attorney-at-Law in mitigation submitted to Court that the accused were only spectators at the function to receive the minister and submitted that, the accused were graduated and became professionals in various spheres of employment. Continuing with his submission, two members of the accused were seeking to go to Canada to continue their studies and the other two were members of the Sangha had passed out and became teachers.
Attorney Karavita in his submission said that if any hard punishment would be meted out would be detrimental to their future career.
The Chief Magistrate ordered the Court Registrar to inform the Higher Education Ministry Secretary to officially receive the compensation paid by the accused.