Two Govt. MPs arrested over Galle Face attack
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Members of Parliament Sanath Nishantha and Milan Jayathilake, accused of being involved in the attack on anti-government protesters in Galle Face on May 9, were arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Tuesday (17).
The two arrested are among the 22 MPs and Mahinda Rajapaksa loyalists named as being connected to the May 9 attack on two anti-government protest sites in Colombo that triggered nearly three days of mob violence across the country and left nine dead, more than 300 injured and scores of house and vehicles destroyed.
The Attorney General Department on Monday (16) instructed the CID to arrest the 22 individuals, providing there is sufficient, direct, circumstantial or technical evidence of their involvement in the attack. Named among the 22 are MPs Johnston Fernando, Milan Jayathilake, Sanath Nishantha, Sanjeewa Edirimanna and Senior DIG in charge of Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon
The AG’s Department had also instructed the CID to obtain an open warrant from a magistrate to arrest the suspect or even seek public assistance, in the event they are not found at their designated addresses, and .file cases against those arrested under the Criminal Procedure Code.
Earlier, the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court imposed an overseas travel ban on former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, MPs Namal Rajapaksa, Johnston Fernando, Sanath Nishantha and 13 others until investigations into the attacks on two protest sites near Temple Trees and Galle Face are completed. The AG’s Department also instructed to record statements from these individuals.
Meanwhile, police on Tuesday arrested five more suspects, three of them from Moratuwa, in connection with the May 9 violence and the murder of an MP in Nittambuwa. Police spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said more than 230 have been arrested so far over the mob violence that occurred island-wide in the immediate aftermath of the attack.
Thalduwa said the CID, which is investigating the murder of government MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala in Nittambuwa following a clash with an angry mob, has also arrested two more in connection with the incident.
He said, investigations are still continuing and evidence is being collected by both the Police Department and the CID.
-ENCL