Jt. Opp asks police, human rights commission to step in to see justice is done
Posted on March 3rd, 2016
Alleged police cover-up of hit-and-run accident:
By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island
The Joint Opposition yesterday said that it wanted the National Police Commission (NPC) to inquire into serious accusations directed against the police in respect of the cover-up of a recent accident in which Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka was allegedly involved in.
A senior Joint Opposition spokesperson told The Island that the NPC could initiate an inquiry even without having received a complaint as in the case of the brutal police attack on HNDA (Higher National Diploma in Accountancy) students last year.
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Twenty-four year old motorcyclist Sadim Sampath, an old boy of D.S. Senanayake, College, injured in Sunday’s accident is being treated at the National Hospital in a critical condition.
The National Police Commission (NPC) comprises Senior Prof. of Sociology of the University of Colombo Prof. Siri Hettige, Senior Administrative Officer, Thilak Kollure, former IGP Frank Silva, P.H. Manatunga, Savithri Wijesekara, Y. L.M. Zawahir and Anton Jeyanathan, also formerly of the police.
Former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris told The Island that it would be the NPC’s responsibility to ensure an impartial investigation into allegations. “We’ll be following police investigation and action taken by the NPC,’ Prof. Peiris said.
National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, yesterday told The Island that the Joint Opposition would raise the issue in Parliament unless the police and the NPC acted in a fair and just manner. The NPC as well as the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka could seek an explanation from police headquarters in this regard, MP Weerawansa said.
The Colombo District MP pointed out that the NPC and HRCSL had summoned police in respect of several cases including the alleged ill-treatment of two persons falsely arrested in connection with the killing of five-year-old girl in the Kotadeniyawa police area, killing of a person allegedly by the police in the Embilipitiya police area as well as the attack on HNDA students.
MP Weerawansa said the NPC and the HRCSL came under the scrutiny of the 10-member Constitutional Council headed by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya.
Responding to a query, MP Weerawansa said the conduct of those who had been at the Borella police station at the time a person surrendered to police claiming responsibility for the accident should be investigated. The MP said that the conduct of officers at the Welikada police, too, was questionable. Having recorded statements from two youth who had identified the driver of the hit-and-run jeep as Minister Ranawaka, the Welikada police didn’t allow them to read statements that they signed, MP Weerawansa said.
Secretary to the NPC Ariyadasa Cooray told The Island that the issue had not been brought to their notice. The NPC regularly meets on Thursdays to discuss developments as well as progress in ongoing inquiries and other related matters. Cooray said the matter was likely to be taken up next Tuesday.
HRCSL spokesperson attorney-at-law Saliya Peiris told The Island that the Commission couldn’t act only on the basis of media reports.
HRCSL comprises Dr. Deepika Udagama (Chairperson), Hamid Ghazali Hussain, Saliya Pieris, Ambika Satkunanathan and Dr. Upananda Vidanapthirana
The spokesman said the HRCSL hadn’t received a complaint as yet and in case it received a credible complaint action could be taken. Peiris said that it would be impossible for the HRCSL to investigate all media reports pertaining to the police.
UPFA MP Udaya Gammanpila told The Island that Independent Commissions should safeguard the rights of the people without giving excuses. The former JHU heavyweight and attorney-at-law said that the police in spite the accident leaving the victim in a critical condition produced in court the purported driver who was released him on personal bail of Rs 500,000.
March 3rd, 2016 at 6:13 pm
THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. THE MINISTER IS AT THE WHEEL WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THERE IS EVIDENCE TO THIS EFFECT. THEN HE QUICKLY SWITCHES A FALL GUY DRIVER TO CONFESS THAT HE WAS AT THE WHEEL, AT A POLICE STATION, COMPLETELY OUT OF JURISDICTION OF THE AREA OF ACCIDENT.
THIS IS THE TYPE OF MINISTERS WE HAVE.
THE BORELLA POLICE MADE A GRAVE MISTAKE, POSSIBLY INTENTIONALLY. IF THEY ONLY QUESTIONED THE *DUPLICATE * DRIVER AS TO WHERE THE ACCIDENT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND LIEING. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS LAPSE IN POLICING.
THIS INCIDENT CLEARLY REFLECTS TO WHAT EXTENT THE POLICE IS POLITICISED, AND MADE EXTREMLY SERVILE TO POLITICIANS. THE POLICE PERSONNEL HAVE TO KEEP THEIR JOBS TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. SO THEY ARE MADE TO BE SERVANTS AT THE FEET OF POLITICIANS, PURELY THROUGH FEAR OF LOSING THEIR JOB.
THIS IS THE SAD STATE OF THE POLICE FORCE TODAY. SHAME.
THIS WHOLE EPISODE HAS TO BE EXPOSED. THE MINISTER HAS TO BE TAKEN TO COURT FOR FALSEFYING THE ACCIDENT SCENARIO. HE IS LIEING THROUGH HIS TEETH. THE DUPLICATE DRIVER HAS TO BE TAKEN TO COURT FOR IMPERSONATING THE SHAMELESS MINISTER, ON HIS REQUEST. TRULY, HE SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM HIS MINISTERIAL POSITION. PRESIDENT HAS NO VERTIBRAE TO DO THAT, NOR DOES THE PM.
LEAVING THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT WHILE BEING INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT, IS A GRAVE CRIME. IT IS A JAILABLE OFFENCE.
LET US MONITOR HOW THE DAMNING **YAHA PAALANAYA ** WILL ACT TO MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER IN THE COUNTRY. LET US SEE HOW JUSTICE IS DISHED OUT WITH TWO LADLES, ONE FOR THE POLITICIONS, AND ONE FOR CITIZEN PERERA.
March 3rd, 2016 at 7:26 pm
HC ZEID, I BELIEVE, MADE A COMMENT, THAT OUR JUSTICE SYTEM IS HIGHLY POLITICISED ETC.
THIS EPISODE IN COURTS WOULD REFLECT WHETHER OR NOT, THAT OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS UNDER POLITICAL PRESSURE.
THE POLICE FORCE TOO WILL BE PUT TO TEST, IN THEIR ACTIONS ON THIS EPISODE.
LET US WAIT WITH A LOT OF PATIENCE.
March 4th, 2016 at 1:15 am
If the two boys are telling the truth, there will a lot of cctv footage of them giving chase to the vehicle involved in the accident and confront the driver of the vehicle.
If the driver is the one that the police claim him to be then question arises why the boys didn’t take him to the police after giving chase.
Pacha seem to be truly weaving a nooze around his neck this time around by lieing and trying impersonation.
March 4th, 2016 at 10:55 am
CRIMINAL OFFENCES COMMITTED BY MINISTER PATALI CHAMPIKA RANAWAKE:-
a….. DRIVING AWAY FROM ACCIDENT SCENE, HAVING KNOCKED DOWN TWO YOUNG MOTO CYCLISTS.
b….. LEAVING THE TWO INJURED MOTOR CYCLISTS ON THE ROAD WITHOUT HIS ATTENTION.
c….. HAVING BEING STOPPED BY OTHER MOTOR CYCLISTS WHEN RUNNING AWAY FROM THE SCENE OF ACCIDENT.
d….. ADMITTING TO THE WITNESS MOTOR CYCLISTS THAT HE WAS MINISTER PATALI, AND NOT RETURNING TO SCENE.
e….. CRIMINALLY INTRODUCING A DECOY TO IMPERSONATE HIM AS THE DRIVER OF THE SAID VEHICLE.
f…… GETTING THE IMPERSONATING DRIVER TO GO TO BORELLA POLICE STATION, AND SAY HE IS THE DRIVER.
g…… GETTING THE IMPERSONATOR BAILED OUT AT THE POLICE STATION WELIKADE, WHICH HAS JURISDICTION.
h…… BAILING OUT AN IMPERSONATING DRIVER FOR RS.500,000.00,. FUNDS IN QUESTION.
I…… ANY OTHER RELATING OFFENCE.
IN USA ALL ABOVE IS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT COULD LEAD TO A CLEAN 15 YEARS IN JAIL. HOW COME HE IS NOT EVEN SEEN AT A POLICE STATION.??? HOW COME HE HAS NOT BEEN ARRESTED AS YET.
IS POLITICIANS AND POLICE , SO CORRUPT IN SRI LANKA ???
March 5th, 2016 at 2:39 am
This is Yahapalanaya at it’s best. First Hirunika got bail in record time when it is obvious she had commited a serious crime. But Yosith is still in remand when it is obvious he can not leave the country.
March 6th, 2016 at 7:45 am
THERE IS A LOT OF COOKING UP GOING ON. COOKS ARE COOKING, OR CROOKS ARE COOKING. ??????