Kurunegala Mayor barred from leaving Sri Lanka

Warrant re-issued against Kurunegala Mayor as police failed to arrest suspects

by Zulfick Farzan 10-08-2020 | 1:51 PM

Colombo (News 1st); The Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court on Monday (10) re-issued warrants for the arrest of the Kurunegala Mayor and 04 others with regard to the case filed over the demolition of a building in Kurunegala with archaeological value.

Warrants were re-issued through the Acting Inspector General of Police as well as the DIG and SP in-charge of Kurunegala by the Magistrate as the Kurunegala Police had failed to arrest the suspects.

The suspects named in the case are Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana, Kurunegala Urban Commissioner Pradeep Nishantha Thilakeratne, Urban Engineer Chaminda Bandara, Word Superintendent Illaludeen Zulfikar and Backhoe loader operator Lakshman Priyantha.

Further, the Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court issued an order preventing the suspect from leaving the country, confirmed the coordinating officer to the Attorney General State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne.

In addition, Kurunegala Chief Magistrate Dhammika Hewawasam ordered an investigation to be carried out to identify those who are aiding the suspects to remain in hiding.

Senior Additional Solicitor General Sarath Jayamanne appearing for the Attorney General said there appears to be a connection with a statement made by a local politician during the run-up to the election where it was claimed not even a strand of hair of the Kurunegala Mayor would be allowed to be touched, and the failure to arrest the suspects.

He requested the Chief Magistrate to call for an investigation this aspect as well.

Detectives were ordered to report the progress of the investigations on the 13th of August.