The driver of the Defender involved in the road accident that claimed the life of the police officer, who helped foil the cash robbery at the Colombo National Hospital, has been remanded until June 19 by the Colombo Additional Magistrate.
When the case was taken up today (15) before Colombo Additional Magistrate Y. Prabhakaran, the remanded suspect had not been presented before the court by prison officers.
Appearing on behalf of the plaint, DIG Ajith Rohana informed the court that investigations into the incident have not concluded as of yet and that further investigations are required to be carried out using the CCTV footage of the crash.
Therefore he requested the court to further remand the suspect until investigations are concluded.
President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, appearing on behalf of the defendant, stated that this is not a crime which was committed intentionally and that it is only a motor accident.
However, he stated that his client is prepared to do justice for the victims of the accident.
After considering the facts presented, the Colombo Additional Magistrate ordered the suspect further remanded until June 19.
He ordered prison officials to produce the suspect before the court on the said date.
A 24-year-old law student was arrested over the accident, which had taken place on June 11and resulted in the death of one police officer and critically wounded another,
It was later revealed that the suspect had been driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.
Police Constable Duleeka Yomal Alahapperuma, attached to the State Intelligence Service (SIS), who had assisted in recovering the Rs 7.9 million robbed from the Colombo National Hospital last week, succumbed to injuries on June 14.
He was receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital at the time of his passing.
On June 11, the said Constable and another police officer, also attached to the SIS, were traveling on a motorcycle when it had collided with a Defender at the Thunmulla area.
The officers critically injured in the accident were then admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. However, the police constable, aged 22, had succumbed to the injuries while being treatment.
Reportedly, the other police officer is still under medical care at the Colombo National Hospital.
