The Court of Appeal today (10) ordered that the writ petition filed by Attorney-at-Law Gunaratne Wanninayake —seeking an order preventing his arrest by police over an incident that occurred within the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court premises—be taken up once again on January 14, 2026.

The petition was called before a bench of the Court of Appeal comprising its President, Justice Rohantha Abeysooriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando.

At the hearing, President’s Counsel Upul Jayasuriya, appearing on behalf of petitioner Gunaratne Wanninayake, told court that the police officer who allegedly assaulted his client within the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court premises had previously received a pardon and been assigned to the Mount Lavinia Police Station.

He further stated that no investigation had yet been conducted regarding the allegations that led to that pardon.

The bench instructed the President’s Counsel to verify these facts with the Attorney General without providing any misleading or incomplete information.

The State Counsel informed court that the petitioner had already appeared before court and had been released on bail and that the relief sought in the petition had effectively already been granted.

However, the President’s Counsel requested that a hearing date be set for the petition. Considering this request, the Court of Appeal ordered that the petition be called for hearing on January 14, 2026.

Attorney-at-Law Gunaratne Wanninayake was granted bail by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court on October 15 after he appeared before court.