Kolonnawa shooting incident:

Magistrate turns down counsel's request

Siranjani KUMARI

Colombo Additional Magistrate Prasanna de Alwis yesterday turned down a request by President's Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya to issue him Parliamentarian Duminda Silva's medical reports and a summary of evidence led in court, when the preliminary inquiry into the Kolonnawa shooting incident resumed in the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court yesterday.

The magistrate said the hearing of the particular case had neither been resumed nor completed and since it had been reported that Duminda Silva is in a critical condition making such a request without the written permission of Duminda Silva is itself a problem. In the absence of the suspect even members of his family cannot make such a request, the magistrate said.

The CID which obtained a court order to send two vehicles, fire arms and ammunition relating to the incident to the Government Analyst also submitted to court the judicial reports on Duminda Silva's injuries.

The CID also informed court that the suspect Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Priyantha had been abducted by members of the underworld according to a compliant made to the Nawagamuwa Police by Priyantha's relatives.

The CID said that Priyantha escaped when they went to Mihintale to arrest him but they were able to seize a SIM card found in one of his trousers. Investigations are continuing to arrest the suspect.

The CID also told court that Duminda Silva had been taken to Singapore for further treatment and they have informed the Controller of Immigration and Emigration about it.

According to legal provisions a person (suspect) could be taken into custody after reading the charges preferred against him for his knowledge but Duminda Silva could not be arrested since he was not in a condition where he could control him self, it was revealed in court.

Two suspects, K R Madusanka and M K R Somaratne, who were held by the CID on detention orders were also produced in court yesterday and released. They were ordered to appear in court on January 31.

Suspect Thushara de Mel, said to be a security officer attached to the Parliamentarian was remanded till December 13. Twelve other suspects relating to this incident are still held and interrogated by the CID.

The CID led by ASP Shani Abeysekera and Inspector Merryl Ranjan led the presentation. President's Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya appeared for Parliamentarian Duminda Silva, while a team of lawyers led by President's Counsel Tirantha Waraliyadda appeared for the aggrieved party.