HC adjourns hearing of ‘hit-and-run’ case against Patali Champika till Feb. 28

The Colombo High Court has ordered the case against former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka over the hit-and-run incident which took place in 2016, in which the vehicle the former Minister was travelling in had collided with a motorcycle in Rajagiriya, to be postponed until February 28, 2025.

When the case was taken up for consideration today (02), the defendant, former MP Patali Champika Ranawaka, appeared before the Colombo High Court.

Appearing for the defendant, Attorney-at-Law Amarasiri Panditharathna stated before the courts that the defendant has filed an appeal before the Supreme Court in relation to another similar case which is based on this case.

The defence attorney further expressed that the Supreme Court, which considered the appeal, issued an interim order preventing the hearing of the relevant case in the Colombo High Court.

Accordingly, he requested the court to set another date for the hearing. The High Court judge accepted the request and scheduled the next hearing for February 28, 2025.

This case was filed before the Colombo High Court by the Attorney General over the alleged hit-and-run incident which took place in 2016, in which the vehicle the former Minister was travelling in had collided with a motorcycle in Rajagiriya, causing life-threatening injuries to its rider, Sandeep Sampath Gunawardena and the alleged fabrication of evidence related to the accident.