SL CID Begins Probe In May 9 Attacks
Colombo, May 18: Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will be recording statements of several Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) parliamentarians at Parliament Complex on Wednesday before and after parliament sessions on May 9 attacks.
Johnston Fernando, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Pavitra Wanniarachchi and C B Ratnayake are among the MPs who will be giving statements to the CID over the May 9 attacks. SLPP Parliamentarians Sanath Nishantha and Milan Jayathilake who were arrested by the CID on Tuesday, on the direction of Attorney General on Monday, will be produced to court on Wednesday, said Sri Lanka Police media division.
The CID recorded an 8-hour statement on Tuesday from Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) of Police for Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon over the May 9 attacks in Colombo between former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa loyalists and protesters in the Colombo capital.
SDIG Tennakoon who arrived at the CID to give a statement at 4 pm left the premises past midnight, according to report. The ‘Myna Go Gama’ protest site near the prime minister’s residence, Temple Trees in the heart of Colombo was attacked by the then-Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa loyalists following a meeting organised by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Local Government Members Forum. The protesters demolished the camp site and resorted to proceed to the main protest site in Galle Face known as Gota Go Gama and assaulted peaceful protestors. The protesters accused the Sri Lanka Police of not stopping the assault. Subsequently, the police along with the Riot Police, Sri Lankan Army, and other law enforcement agencies were summoned to restrain the parties and Sri Lanka Police eventually enforced an island-wide curfew to control the conflict.
