Interfering with IP’s duties:

CBK’s Security Chief pleads guilty

Colombo High Court Judge Kumuduni Wickramasinghe yesterday ordered Superintendent of Police Nihal Karunaratne to pay damages amounting to Rs 300,000 for the charges of interfering with the duties of IP Hettiarachchige Samudrajeewa who was attached to the special investigation unit of Peliyagoda Police. SP Karunaratne who was the chief security officer of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was indicted for threatening IP Samudrajeewa at Beddagana in Kotte on February 2, 2000 under the Penal Code.

The Judge made this order after Karunaratne pleaded guilty to the charges. He was also ordered two years suspended sentence and fined Rs 25,000. The Judge stated that the accused would be imposed a suspended imprisonment as he pleaded guilty to the charges. State Counsel Priyani Abeygunawardena who appealed on behalf of the compliant raised no objection to the verdict.

IP Samudrajeewa giving evidence before Court stated that he was mentally disturbed after SP Karunaratne threatened him for not apprehending a suspect. He cited that he was threatened by Karunaratne for not initiating investigations into this suspect. Danaraj Samarakoon and Udara Soyza with President’s Counsel Anil Silva appeared for the accused.