• Statements recorded from IGP Tennakoon’s wife and son
• Suspects have filed a writ; hearing on Friday (21)

The Police Department stated that investigations led by six teams of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are continuing to arrest Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon (who has been temporarily suspended by a court order) in connection with a shooting incident that took place in front of a hotel within the Weligama Police Division in 2023.

Issuing a media statement yesterday (16), the Police Department announced that the arrest of the other six suspects in the case, including the former Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) Anslam de Silva, has been temporarily withheld.

This decision follows an agreement between the Attorney General and the legal representatives of the petitioners (the suspects of the shooting who filed a writ) after the six suspects filed a writ petition before the Court of Appeal, seeking an order to prevent their arrest. 

As a result, the Attorney General has directed the CID not to arrest them until the preliminary investigations are completed. However, they are required to appear before the CID and provide statements, and the hearing of this writ petition has been scheduled for 21 March before the Court of Appeal.

However, the Police announced that the OIC of the CCD and the other suspects have not been arrested yet, while six CID investigation teams are continuing further inquiries into the arrest of Tennakoon.  Meanwhile, speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday, Acting Police Spokesperson Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Fredrick Woolter said statements from Tennakoon's wife and son were recorded by the Police last Thursday (13).

On 31 December 2023, a shooting incident took place in front of a hotel within the Weligama Police Division. In connection with the case currently being heard before the Matara Magistrate’s Court, the court issued an order on 27 February 2025, directing the arrest and production before the court of six suspects, including the interdicted Tennakoon and de Silva. A copy of this court order was forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and following consultations with the Attorney General and the Acting IGP, instructions have been given to proceed with the arrests of these suspects.

In response to the order issued by the Matara Magistrate’s Court, Tennakoon filed a writ petition before the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal is scheduled to deliver its decision on this petition today (17).