IGP to head Medico-Legal Society

by Sarath Malalasekera

For the first time in the history of Medico-Legal Society Sri Lanka an Inspector General of Police was elected as the President of the Society.

Senior Vice President of the Society IGP Chandra Fernando was elected as the President of the Medical-Legal Society of Sri Lanka at the Annual General Meeting held on Friday at the Galle Face Hotel.

The Society was founded in 1973 and its first President was former Chief Justice Sir Sydney Abrahms. The other distinguished past Presidents are Chief Justice J.C. Howard, Chief Justice M.C. Sansoni and Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva PC.

IGP Fernando in his maiden speech said that the Medico-Legal was a multi disciplinary Society whose membership consisted of lawyers, doctors, forensic scientists and senior police officers.

The new President emphasised that in the recent past the Society has been training Police personnel in the scientific methods of fighting crime and has held several training camps in the outstations. He stressed the need to strengthen this programme further.

He said that some of the horrendous murders that took place in the recent past were solved within the shortest possible time by application of forensic science skills.

The new President is a BA graduate of the University of Ceylon, LL.B (Bachelor of Law, Open University, Colombo) and LL. M. (Master of Law), Japan. He is also an Attorney-at-Law.

The IGP was also instrumental in holding of a workshop on road accidents jointly with the Medico-Legal Society and their Police Department.