CCTV footage on day of Rajagiriya accident erased - Police
March 30, 2016
The case pertaining to the traffic collision in Rajagiriya involving a vehicle belonging to Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and a youth riding a motorcycle was taken up for hearing at the Colombo Traffic Court today (30).
Welikada Police informed court that the Minister of Megapolis and Western Development was questioned regarding the incident and that a statement was recorded.
Police further said that although footage obtained from CCTV cameras were used in the investigation, the footage from the day of the incident had already erased.
A report has also been obtained after analyzing 3 telephone numbers of the Minister as per a court order, police said.
However, attorneys representing the victim declared to the court that the 3 phone numbers provided by the Minister were not used by him at that instance.
They then submitted to the court 2 numbers allegedly used by the Minister at that time while the court ordered that those numbers also be analyzed and called for a report.
THURSDAY, 31 MARCH 2016
March 30, 2016The case pertaining to the traffic collision in Rajagiriya involving a vehicle belonging to Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and a youth riding a motorcycle was taken up for hearing at the Colombo Traffic Court today (30).
Welikada Police informed court that the Minister of Megapolis and Western Development was questioned regarding the incident and that a statement was recorded.
Police further said that although footage obtained from CCTV cameras were used in the investigation, the footage from the day of the incident had already erased.
A report has also been obtained after analyzing 3 telephone numbers of the Minister as per a court order, police said.
However, attorneys representing the victim declared to the court that the 3 phone numbers provided by the Minister were not used by him at that instance.
They then submitted to the court 2 numbers allegedly used by the Minister at that time while the court ordered that those numbers also be analyzed and called for a report.
Patali questioned for 7 hours
THURSDAY, 31 MARCH 2016
Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka was questioned for more than seven hours and a statement from him was recorded in connection with the hit-and-run accident at Rajagiriya late last month in which Sandeep Sampath and Manjula Minsuka Abeysundera were injured stated Welikada Police told Colombo Additional Magistrate Chandana Kalansuriya yesterday (30th). Sandeep Sampath is currently struggling for his life at the ICU of the Colombo National Hospital.
The police also told the Magistrate that they had questioned Police officers involved in initial inquiries related to the case as well as from eye witnesses. Altogether, a total of 37 persons had been questioned by the police.
It is alleged that Minister Ranawaka was at the wheel of his vehicle when the accident occurred injuring the two youths and the Minister drove on without stopping at the scene.
The Magistrate then ordered the Welikada Police to obtain a record of calls taken and received on the Minister's mobile phone on the day of the accident. The Magistrate said he would announce whether inquiries on the incident will be handed over to the CID or not at the next hearing.
Related news: Champika's telephone conversations to be probed
