Attack on Opposition MPs at Hambantota: Police to move for court order

By Franklin R. Satyapalan-April 19, 2014, 7:09 pm 

Police will be moving for a court order tomorrow to gather evidence of eyewitnesses, obtain copies of video recordings and still photographs and all circumstantial evidence available in connection with last Friday’s attack by goons on five UNP MPs visiting the Mattala airport and Magampura harbor at Hambantota, police media spokesman, SSP Ajith Rohana said.

He was responding to a question by The Sunday Island whether any of the assailants identified in news reports and electronic media telecasts had been questioned or arrested by the police so far in connection with the attack.

He said that three teams of policemen had been deployed to investigate the attack and after the court order, they would take the inquiry forward.

The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Gamini Mathurata based in Galle was heading the investigations, he said.

The DIG will be recording the statements of the four United National Party (UNP) parliamentarians, Eran Wickremaratne, R. Yogarajan, Nalin Bandara and Ajith Manapperuma. MP Ajith Perera has already given a statement to the police.

Asked whether the MPs have been asked to report to the DIG’s office in Galle, the SSP said the DIG will be arriving in Colombo on Sunday.

On whether the MPs had been notified to come to Police Headquarters, he said the DIG would be meeting the MPs after his arrival in Colombo to record their statements.

Asked about the line of investigation expected to be taken, SSP Rohana replied, "Firstly, legal action would be initiated against the perpetrators of violence".

"Secondly, we will contemplate action against the police personnel who were at the scene of the incident and behaved liked mere onlookers after assessing whether there had been dereliction of duty on their part. In that case, disciplinary action will be initiated against them".

As the third step, it has to be ascertained whether the two policemen assigned to each of the MPs had taken appropriate action or failed in their duty to take proactive action, he explained.

"We will take disciplinary action against them also, if necessary", he said.