Fresh CCTV footage has surfaced a week after an incident at the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court, appearing to show a police constable assaulting a lawyer within the court premises.
Senior lawyer Gunaratne Wanninayake, who has confirmed the footage is genuine, said the video clearly shows the moment a police officer attacked a junior lawyer following a verbal exchange over a parking dispute.
The altercation occurred on October 10 when the lawyer reportedly confronted a constable over a prison bus blocking the entrance to the court compound. The newly released footage, which circulated widely on social media this week, appears to corroborate eyewitness accounts that the lawyer was physically struck by the officer.
The police constable involved was arrested soon after the incident and remanded until October 13 before being released on bail. The Police Department and the Ministry of Public Security have since ordered an internal inquiry into the officer’s conduct.
However, police have not yet issued an official statement regarding the new CCTV footage. The constable has denied assaulting the lawyer, maintaining that he was only attempting to prevent disruption to court security. (Newswire)
