Police constable acquitted

Sarath Malalasekera

Homagama Chief Magistrate Sumith Aruna Perera acquitted police constable Senaratne Merigge Jayaratne of the Narahenpita Traffic Police Division when he was found not guilty to the charges preferred against him for transporting and possessing 360 grams of kassippu.

Three police sergeants who gave evidence for the prosecution said that the suspect police constable assaulted them when they detected the kassippu on his motorcycle covered with a jacket.

Senior Attorney Upali Senaratne, senior counsel for the police constable, submitted to court that his client had never carried anything mentioned by the three prosecution witnesses, three policemen, who arrested him.

The three policemen had assaulted his client who had to be admitted to hospital for treatment. But the Police never produced his medical reports before courts, senior counsel Senaratne submitted.

Senior defence counsel Senaratne told court that his client had filed a Fundamental Rights Application before the Supreme Court against the three policemen.

After lengthy submissions by the prosecution and the senior defence counsel Senaratne the magistrate acquitted him.