Arrest warrants: Police told to comply with court orders
 

by Sarath Malalasekera

Colombo Additional Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya on Thursday severely warned Police to comply with the orders issued by the court without attempting to adopt their own methods in executing warrants issued for the arrest of suspects.

"When court issued a warrant for the arrest of a suspect the prime duty of the police is to arrest the suspect and produce him/her before court without advising the suspect to appear in court.

This is a very serious situation," Magistrate Pilapitiya stated. He made these observations when a suspect who appeared in court, answering court said that he came to court yesterday on the instructions of police.

The suspect told the Magistrate that he knew that there was a warrant against him but the police wanted him to be present in court yesterday. At this stage the Magistrate warned the Police sergeant who advised the suspect to come to court yesterday and warned that in future he should abide by the court orders to the letter without deviating from them.

Later the suspect was released on a bond of Rs.10,000 and directed to appear in court on September 1.