Attack on Galle Face protesters: Court dismisses petition against SDIG Deshabandu Thennakoon

A writ petition filed by a lawyer seeking an order directing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest Western Province Senior DIG Deshabandu Thennakoon for his failure to prevent attacks on peaceful protesters at Galle Face was today (March 27) dismissed by the Court of Appeal.

Accordingly, the petition was ordered to be dismissed with costs when the relevant petition was taken up before the Appeals Court judge bench consisting of the President of the Court of Appeal Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice A. Marikkar.

The petition had been filed seeking an order be issued to the Attorney General ordering him to arrest SDIG Deshabandu Thennakoon as a suspect in the incident of attacking the “Gota Go Gama” protest site, record statements and to present them before courts.

The court has issued this order after considering a preliminary objection raised by President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, who appeared on behalf of the SDIG, when the petition was taken up this morning.