HRCSL promises to heed eyewitnesses’ complaint against Ranawaka

Welikada hit-and-run accident: 

Sandeepa

By Shamindra Ferdinando-March 25, 2016, 7:00 am

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has assured complainants, Siddque Mohammed Sufai and Gayashan Venura that their complaints in respect of Megapolis and Western Province Development Minister Patali Chapika Ranawaka’s alleged involvement in a hit-and-run accident would receive its attention.

The HRCSL comprises Dr. Deepika Udagama, Hamid Ghazali Hussain, Saliya Pieris, Ambika Satkunanathan and Dr. Upananda Vidanapthirana.

The assurance has been given recently when Siddque and Venura, both aged 20, sought HRCSL’s intervention. They alleged the accident took place around 10.00 pm on Feb. 28 in the Welikada police area. Sandeepa Gunawardena of Godagama, who suffered severe injuries due to the collision, is still being treated at the National Hospital, Colombo.A senior Jt. Opposition spokesperson told The Island that Siddique and Venura had complained to HRCSL close on the heels of two groups of UPFA members of parliament lodging complaints with police headquarters and the National Police Commission (NPC), respectively.

Members of parliament Keheliya Rambukwella, Jayantha Samaraweera, D.V. Chanaka, Gamini Lokuge, Sisira Jayakody and Kanchana Wijesekera were among those who complained to police headquarters and the NPC.

The NPC comprises Prof. Siri Hettige (Chairman), Frank de Silva, Savithree Wijesekara, Y. L. M. Zawahir, Anton Jeyanathan, P. H. Manatunga, and Tilak Collure. N. Ariyadasa Cooray is Secretary to the NPC.

According to complaints lodged with the HRCSL, the police , IGP, OIC, Welikada and OIC, Traffic, Welikada have been accused of failing to inquire into the accident. Both eyewitness complainants have alleged that Minister Ranawaka had been in the driving seat of the vehicle involved in the accident.

They also told HRCSL that the Welikada police hadn’t recorded their statement in the regular complaints book; they were not allowed to read their own statements before being asked to sign them and the police have failed to arrest Minister Ranawaka to initiate an impartial inquiry.

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader and UPFA MP Udaya Gammanpila told The Island that it would be a test case for both the NPC and the HRCSL. Colombo District MP Gammanpila stressed that the HRCSL and NPC would be under the scrutiny of the ten-member Constitutional Council. The Jt. Opposition would continue to push the government as well as relevant institutions over what he called police cover-up of Minister Ranawaka’s involvement.

HRCSL spokesperson attorney-at-law Saliya Peiris and NPC Secretary Ariyadasa Cooray didn’t answer their mobile phones yesterday. Police spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekera was also not available for comment. A person who answered his hand phone said the spokesman was away in Kataragama.

Gammanpila said the government should not drag its feet on Minister Ranawaka’s case. The MP challenged civil society organisations which had thrown their weight behind Maithripala Sirisena at the last presidential polls to push for an impartial investigation.