Minister Mervyn Silva’s son, Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne were yesterday admitted to the Welikada Prison hospital as per medical reports they submitted to the Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday.
Main suspects in the recent assault on two army officers, Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva’s son, Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne were yesterday admitted to the Welikada Prison hospital as per medical reports they submitted to the Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday.
When The Island contacted Commissioner General of Prison, P. W. P. W Kodippili last night, he confirmed that the two suspects in remand custody were in the prison hospital.
He said that the Magistrate had directed the prison authorities to provide the necessary medical treatment in keeping with the medical reports submitted by them.
On that basis the two suspects had been referred to the prisons hospital doctor, who after perusing the reports had them warded at the prison hospital, Kodippili said.
Malaka, Rehan and five others, wanted by police for allegedly assaulting two army officers at Hilton Colombo Residence on September 2, had surrendered to the police yesterday around 8.00 a.m., Senior Deputy Inspector General Anura Senanayake told the media at his office in Colombo.
He said that the suspects had been produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate and remanded till September 24.
When asked why the investigations had been delayed and the suspects had not been arrested fast, he said, "Investigations should be held according to my instructions and no one can claim that the investigations were delayed as we have produced the suspects today to the Court after the investigation."
Senior DIG Senanayake said: "We happened to record about 50 statements from various persons who were there at that time and none of the statements clearly said that the suspects had assaulted the victims; they said there had been a brawl between two parties. So, we received an order from the Court to obtain video recordings of the CCTV cameras from the Hilton Residence."
When repeatedly asked why the police had not arrested Malaka immediately after the incident, he said, "Police cannot arrest a person like Malaka Silva the way we arrest a criminal or notorious suspect or murderer. But, I condemn the manner in which an officer was assaulted and we are waiting for medical reports."
Senior DIG Senanayake said, the victims had said in their statement that Malaka Silva and Rehan Wijeratne assaulted them and forcibly removed a service pistol. Therefore, the other suspects would be produced for an identification parade on October 1.
The senior DIG emphasized that the police would inform the Court why the major had been there at that time. According to some information gathered by the police so far, the Major had been with a casino businessman since the previous day from 6.00 p.m. to the following day 3.00 a.m. on the 27th floor of the Hilton Residence.
Although the primary investigation confirmed that the army officer was on duty at that time, the Senior DIG said the police would conduct investigations to ascertain whether he had been on duty or providing security to another person as a private body guard. He said that the incident had occurred following an argument over a cigarette.
However, action would be taken against the suspects as the case had been handed over to the Court, but people should never accept media claims that the investigation was delayed, the senior DIG said.
When The Island asked Military Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya whether the officer who sustained injuries was still at the army hospital at Narahenpita, he answered in the affirmative.
He said that a Court of inquiry of the army too was on to find out what exactly had happened. He said that according to preliminary investigations, the officer had been on duty. He did not want to comment further regarding the incident as the army inquiry was on.
(Island)