The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today ordered that former IGP Deshabandhu Tennakoon, who was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department yesterday afternoon, be remanded until the 27th.
The Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura issued this order after considering the arguments presented by the Criminal Investigation Department and the defense lawyers.
Deputy Solicitor General Wasantha Perera, who appeared on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Department while presenting the suspect to court, stated the following while presenting the arguments before the court.
“Your Honor…. He has been named as the thirty-third suspect in the case related to the attack on the Gota Go Gama protest in Galle Face on May 9, 2022. The Attorney General issued a letter on April 19, 2023 instructing the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department to name this person as a suspect in the relevant incident. A few days after the letter was issued, he filed a petition against it in the Court of Appeal. Thereafter, the Court of Appeal examined the petition and issued an order invalidating the Attorney General’s letter.
The Attorney General filed an appeal to the Supreme Court against the decision of the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court, which allowed the appeal to be heard, issued a temporary order on June 22, temporarily preventing the decision of the Court of Appeal from being implemented. That order A few days after the release, this suspect submitted an anticipatory bail application to your court. That anticipatory petition was rejected yesterday.”
The Deputy Solicitor General, who further explained the facts, said, “Your Honor, when we look at the actions of this person, it appears that he is a person who always defies the law and evades the courts. Further investigations are underway regarding this incident. Statements are to be recorded from a number of police officers. Since he was the IGP at the time, there is a possibility that police officers who did not give evidence to him out of fear may come forward to give evidence. If he is released on bail, they will not be able to give evidence independently.” The Deputy Solicitor General, who stated, requested that this suspect be remanded in custody as if he were released on bail, the investigations could be hampered.
Thereafter, Attorney Ajith Pathirana, who appeared for the suspect, stated the following in court:
“Your Honor… the Supreme Court has only temporarily suspended the Court of Appeal decision. A final decision has not been issued yet. The Court of Appeal decision clearly states that there is no evidence against this suspect. That is why the Court of Appeal issued an order overturning the Attorney General’s decision. Even today, no evidence has been presented against him. The Court of Appeal has clearly stated that the Attorney General’s letter is unfair. The National Police Commission also conducted an investigation into this incident. The National Police Commission has issued a letter stating that there is insufficient evidence to take action against him. His pending petition was rejected yesterday. Not even 45 minutes after the order was issued, he was arrested. This is a completely malicious act. He is the 36th Inspector General of Police of Sri Lanka who served for thirty-six years. He is an officer who has done a good job intentionally. Everyone praised the justice operation. Everything has changed in a year.”
The magistrate, who directed a question to the Criminal Investigation Department, asked what rank the police officers who were to record statements in relation to this incident were.
The Criminal Investigation Department officials stated that they were lower-level officers. After considering the facts presented by both sides, the magistrate ordered that the suspect be remanded until the 27th.
The magistrate further ordered the Criminal Investigation Department to take steps to obtain statements from all the witnesses whose statements were to be recorded before that date and to compile their evidence and present them to the court the next day.