The victim who was allegedly assaulted by a group of police officers including Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police RanmalKodituwakku recently in Kiriella has sought President’s intervention to have an independent and impartial inquiry.
Following a video circulated on social media that the Senior DIG in charge of the Sabaragamuwa Province was involved in an assault on a civilian, the Police Headquarters had announced that SDIG Kodituwakku has been transferred as Senior DIG of the Medical Services and Welfare Divisions.
In a letter through Attorney-at-Law P. Neelakandan, the victim Mishara Ranasinghe, a resident of Rajagiriya has urged the President to direct relevant authorities to appoint and conduct an independent and impartial inquiry into this incident.
The letter states that ex-facie, SDIG Kodituwakku is culpable of several offenses under the provisions of the Constitution, the Penal Code, the Convention Against Torture And other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Act No. 22 of 1994 and Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act No. 4 of 2015. The letter further states that the concerned Senior DIG is unsuitable to remain in Service whilst an independent and impartial inquiry is conducted into the aforesaid incident. Meanwhile, the victim said he has already lodged a complaint at IGP’s office regarding this incident.
Mr. Neelakandan said his client had been grossly assaulted, physically, and sexually tortured and harassed by SDIG RanmalKodituwakku, and two other police officers around 2pm on 25th October 2021 while his client was travelling from Ratnapura towards Panadura.
‘Our client whilst traveling from Ratnapuratowards Panadura, had encountered a blue colour traveling in the same direction. We are instructed that our Client had overtaken the said vehicle and proceeded towards his destination. However, when our Client had stopped for a pedestrian at a Pedestrian Crossing a few minutes thereafter, the said vehicle had overtaken our Client’s vehicle on the said pedestrian crossing and parked ahead our Client’s vehicle in the middle of the road, obstructing our Client from proceeding to his destination. We are instructed that three uniformed officers had alighted from the said vehicle, proceeded towards our Client, opened the driver’s side door of our Client’s vehicle and without any reason or cause whatsoever, physically attacked our Client and assaulted our Client’, the letter stated.
The lawyer said his client had been brought to the Kiriella Police Station and his mobile phone was confiscated and his client was stripped naked and forced to kneel down. He further said the SDIG who had removed his uniform shirt assaulted his Client in the presence of the two officers.
We are instructed that due to various negotiations between our Client’s Attorney-at-Law and the Kiriella station, the Police agreed to release our Client subject to the following conditions: not releasing any videos of the incident, not admitting himself to a hospital in respect of the injuries sustained, not taking any legal action, by giving a false statement to a medical examiner of their choice indicating that our Client was not assaulted or tortured or hurt while in police custody and by signing a statement which was written by the Police officers, the letter further added.
The copies of this letter have been sent to Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekara, Justice Minister Ali Sabry and Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam as well.
