An open warrant has been issued against Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon – who is temporarily suspended from occupying the said office – by the Matara Magistrate’s Court (MC), upon the request of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
On Monday (10), Tennakoon filed a writ petition with the Court of Appeal, seeking an order to prevent his arrest. The petition, filed through his legal representatives, requested that an interim injunction be issued to stay the arrest warrant issued against him by the Matara MC. Previously, the Matara MC had issued the warrant in connection with a shooting incident that occurred in front of the W15 Hotel in the Pelena area of Weligama, Matara, on 31 December 2023.
On 6 March, the Police Department announced that Tennakoon cannot be located and is evading arrest. The Police had urged the public to report any information regarding his whereabouts to the CID. Furthermore, the Police Media Spokesperson emphasised that anyone assisting Tennakoon in evading arrest, despite the pending warrant, will face legal action under Section 209 of the Penal Code.
The incident in question dates back to 31 December 2023, when a team from the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) traveled to Weligama in Matara with the intention of arresting individuals associated with the organised crime suspect Nadun Chinthaka Wickremeratne, alias ‘Harak Kata’.
According to the Police, the CCD officers, who were in civilian attire, were attacked from inside the W15 Hotel, prompting them to return fire. A mobile patrol vehicle from the Weligama Police Station arrived at the scene and opened fire on the CCD officers’ van due to a misunderstanding, as the Weligama Police mistakenly believed that the van was transporting criminals.
As a result, the van fled the scene, but two CCD officers who were inside, sustained gunshot wounds. One of the injured officers, 47-year-old Police Sergeant Upul Chaminda Kumara of the CCD, later succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical treatment. A preliminary inquest into the incident was conducted at the Matara Chief MC, and the verdict was announced on 27 March. Following this, the CID was instructed to arrest and produce eight individuals, including Tennakoon, before the Court.
Meanwhile, the Government stated that there are no ongoing discussions about either suspending Tennakoon further or placing him on compulsory leave. These remarks were made yesterday (11) by Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, in response to a question raised by the media at the weekly Cabinet media briefing regarding the delay in Tennakoon's arrest.
Dr. Jayatissa further stated that the Police is taking all possible measures to track down Tennakoon, and that several locations have been searched based on the information received. When queried about allegations that Tennakoon is hiding inside the residence of former Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, Dr. Jayatissa said that anyone with information should report it to the Police, as it is their responsibility. When the media inquired about the delay in the arrest of others named alongside Tennakoon, he stated that the Police is also searching for them.