The driver of a container truck involved in a fatal accident that claimed the lives of two young motorcyclists near the BCI (British Campus International) Private University in Dagonna, Katana, was granted bail by the Negombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday (30).
Additional Magistrate Subhani Abeysekara ordered that the driver be released on two personal bail bonds of Rs. 500,000 each.
The suspect released on bail was 29-year-old Udita Dilanka Nirmala, a resident of Pannila Thenna.
The two young men riding a motorcycle died on the spot after colliding with the container truck.
The victims were identified as Talisha Nimneth Siriwardena (18) and Kavindu Hashan Somathilaka (19).
Following the accident, angry residents of Dagonna set fire to the container truck. Officers from the Katana Police Station and the Negombo Municipal Council Fire Brigade arrived at the scene, extinguished the fire, and brought the situation under control.
The bodies of the victims were taken to Negombo Hospital, while the truck driver was arrested by Katana Police and produced before court.
Appearing for the driver, Attorney Indika Silva told the court that the two victims had been racing at high speed with two other motorcyclists. He argued that they had lost control of their motorcycle and crashed into the container truck.
After considering the facts, the Additional Magistrate ordered the suspect to be released on two personal bail bonds of Rs. 500,000 each. The court also ordered him to pay Rs. 200,000 as a compassionate payment to the victims’ family.
In addition, the Magistrate ordered that the driver’s licence be suspended until the conclusion of the case.
The case was postponed until 3 August, and the court directed that the post-mortem reports of the deceased and the medical report of the driver be submitted on the next hearing date.