The Police request public assistance to locate the whereabouts of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon, who has been suspended from office, and against whom an arrest warrant has been issued, and who is presently evading arrest.

Speaking at a press conference held yesterday (6), Police Media Spokesperson Senior Superintendent of Police Buddhika Manathunga urged the public to report any information regarding his whereabouts to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Furthermore, he emphasised that any individual assisting Tennakoon in evading arrest, despite a pending warrant, would also face legal action under Section 209 of the Penal Code.

Manathunga also assured that Tennakoon would not receive any special treatment due to his position as the IGP and would be treated the same as any other suspect.

Tennakoon is wanted in connection with a shooting incident that occurred at a hotel in the Weligama area in 2023. In this regard, the Matara Magistrate’s Court (MC) had issued arrest warrants against him and several Police officers, including the Acting Officer-In-Charge of the Weligama Police Station, the latter who surrendered to the Court this week and was enlarged on bail. On 1 March, the Matara MC imposed an overseas travel ban on Tennakoon based on a request made by the CID following reports that although the investigating officers had searched the residences of Tennakoon located at Hokandara and Giriulla, they had failed to find him at those homes. The Matara MC had ordered the arrest of eight persons including former officers of the Colombo Crimes Division and Tennakoon on 28 February, and to name them as suspects in the shooting incident that took place in front of the W15 Hotel in the Pelena area of Weligama, Matara, on 31 December 2023.