CID Director of Investigations Ashoka Shelton Karunathilaka told the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee probing the interdicted IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon that numerous flaws had been found in the investigations carried out by the Weligama Police into a shooting incident at the W15 Hotel.
Giving evidence before the special inquiry committee, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, Karunathilaka said that the Weligama Police had proceeded with their investigation riddled with flaws. “Even the locations of spent bullet casings at the crime scene were not properly marked. There was a mismatch between the empty bullet casings and the recovered ammunition. Additionally, CCTV footage from the crime scene area shows inconsistencies.These investigative shortcomings were the reason why legal action was taken against the OIC of the Weligama Police Criminal Investigation Division. Moreover, no proper investigation was carried out into the police officer who was fatally shot.”.
The committee met for the eighth day on Wednesday, when seven witnesses testified. The final witness of the day was Karunathilaka, who pointed out the deficiencies in the initial investigations by the Weligama Police.
At this point, counsel S. Weerawikrama, representing Deshabandu Tennakoon, questioned whether the warrant for Tennakoon’s arrest had been obtained under political or ministerial pressure.
Karunathilaka answered in the negative.
During the session, counsel Weerawikrama raised his voice while cross-examining the witness, prompting one of the committee’s judges to advise him to ask questions without getting agitated.The day’s proceedings concluded with the committee recording the testimonies presented by the prosecution, led by Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris.
By Kamal Bogoda