A lawyer who had been charged for tooting a vehicle horn to the tune of the popular anti-government protest song ‘Kaputu kaak kaak kaak’ has been discharged from the case.
The Colombo Additional Magistrate M. S. Prabhakaran yesterday ordered for Attorney-at-Law Dushmantha Weeraratne who was charged under the Motor Traffic Act to be discharged from the case.
Attorney-at-Law Dushmantha Weeraratne was arrested by the Fort Police and charged for whistling and tooting the horn to the tune of the song at Galle Face on Friday (09).
Issuing the verdict, the Magistrate warned the Fort Police not to act in a biased manner when framing charges and emphasized the need to understand the law prior to instituting legal action.
A group of lawyers including President’s Counsels Saliya Peiris, Sarath Jayamanne PC, and Senior Counsel Kaushalya Nawaratne had appeared for the lawyer.
The lawyers pointed out that Attorney-at-Law Dushmantha Weeraratne had tooted his vehicle horn to teh tune to show voice his protest against the actions of the Police in arresting anti-government protesters.
They further informed the court that it is the fundamental right of the citizens under the Constitution of Sri Lanka to voice their protest against the state.
The group of lawyers presented as examples the protests carried out by the current President and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa while in the opposition against the then governments.
It has also been proven in the Supreme Court that the Police have violated the fundamental rights of the citizens through their actions, they pointed out. (NewsWire)