Impartial inquiry into Rajagiriya accident

by Ranil Wijayapala

The statements to the Inspector General of Police by two eye-witnesses to the accident and the three MPs urging the police to conduct an impartial inquiry into the accident where Minister Champika Ranawaka had allegedly driven the vehicle that had injured a motorcyclist on February 28 at Rajagiriya has been referred to Senior DIG Western Province Pujith Jayasundara for further inquiry, Police Spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said yesterday.

Two youth who had witnessed the accident had made statements to the IGP on Friday that they witnessed Minister Champika Ranawaka driving the vehicle on that particular day.

Three MPs, Shehan Semasinghe, Kanchana Wijesekara and D.V. Chanaka in a letter to the IGP had queried as to why the police are not conducting the inquiry based on the facts provided by the media that Minister Champika Ranawaka himself had driven the vehicle. However, Minister Champika Ranawaka had denied the allegation that the person responsible for the incident has been handed over to the police.

Senior DIG Western Province Pujith Jayasundara told the Sunday Observer that they are conducting inquiries into the incident.

“There are complaints on the incident by the three MPs and the two motorcyclists who had given the statements which will also be looked into and the facts will be reported to court. Further action will be decided on according to the investigations”, he added. The youth injured in this accident is receiving treatment at the ICU of the Colombo National Hospital, hospital sources said.