Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala says legal action will be taken against senior lawyer Gunaratne Wanninayake over his conduct within the Mount Lavinia Court premises, describing it as contempt of court.
Police officers had visited the residence of the lawyer today (12), but he was not at home at the time. The lawyer had earlier been requested to appear for questioning, though media reports quoted him as saying he would respond only after receiving advice from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL).
Meanwhile, IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya said a state counsel will appear on behalf of the police officer who is currently in remand custody over the alleged assault on a lawyer at the Mount Lavinia Court premises.
He said the Attorney General’s Department has been consulted, and the court proceedings related to the case will resume tomorrow (13). He added that the Special Investigation Unit has been assigned to investigate whether the police acted appropriately during the incident.
The Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate has also ordered that CCTV footage be reviewed as part of the ongoing inquiry into the incident that occurred on October 10.
The police constable involved was arrested following a complaint that he had assaulted a lawyer during a dispute over moving a vehicle within the court premises. He was later produced in court and remanded until October 13.
Separately, police have launched an investigation into allegations that senior lawyer Gunaratne Wanninayake, who was accompanying the assaulted lawyer at the time, had threatened the police officer and obstructed his duties. (Newswire)