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So
close and yet so far
- Maverick
Mervyn at large
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Police can’t do its job poster by watchdogs
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Speculation rife no arrests will be made until PC elections
are over
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Confidantes say he will surrender himself
By
Stanley Samarasinghe
Police are delaying the arrest of Minister Mervyn
Silva, ordered by Colombo Additional Magistrate, for inexplicable
reasons, Defence lawyers told The Bottom Line yesterday, while
reliable legal sources also charged that the errant Minister
would not be arrested until the Provincial Council elections
are concluded on Saturday (23). Although 48 hours had passed
since Magistrate Manjula Thilakaratne instructed the Inspector
General of Police to arrest and produce Minister Silva and
three others, Prasanna Ranaweera, Nihal Silva and Dulan Asiri
in court immediately, the Police have not moved to take Silva
into custody. A certified order of the court was sent to the
IGP on the same day.
The suspects are wanted in connection with the attack on Sirasa
journalists and snatching their cameras during the opening
of one of the Kelaniya flyovers two weeks ago. Meanwhile media
watch dogs stuck posters condemning the lack of action by
the Police.
Lawyers for the Defence are of the opinion that the IGP could
inform Minister Mervyn Silva’s security officers to bring
him to court or advise the Minister to surrender. Interestingly,
despite police protection being afforded to the Minister via
the Ministerial Security Division, Peliyagoda police officers
told court on Monday that Minister Silva was ‘evading’
arrest, resulting in much laughter in the court house.
The
Magistrate, in his order, stated that, according to the Police
‘B’ report submitted to court, the suspects had
committed crimes for which suspects can be arrested even without
a warrant.
When The Bottom Line asked IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne why
no steps had been taken to arrest Minister Silva despite the
magisterial order, he said that, media queries had to be directed
at Police Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunesekera. SSP Gunasekera
replying our question, only said that, the IGP had told him
that he would act according to the law, but added that, he
could not divulge anything further due to ‘security reasons’.
When this matter came up before the Magistrate on August 18,
HQI, Peliyagoda Police produced a ‘B’ report and
submitted to the court that investigations had revealed that
Minister Silva, Chairman of the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha
Prasanna Ranaweera and two others were involved in the alleged
crime.
More complainants are also in a position to identify three
more suspects involved in the incident, the HQI explained
to the Magistrate.
Kalinga Indratissa and U.R. de Silva with Jeevantha Jayatilaka,
Rohana Muthumala and Manoj Bandara instructed by Sudath Perera
Associates, appeared for the aggrieved party.
Anil Silva, Jayantha Weerasinghe and Anton Senanayake, appeared
for Mervin Silva and other suspects. The case will be taken
up again on August 29, 2008.
Riotous
minister to make cowardly dash?
By Munza Mushtaq
A boisterous and loudmouthed minister, who
has the knack for making it to the front page on a regular
basis, was spotted at the French Embassy last week, along
with his family in order to obtain visas for themselves, The
Bottom Line learns.
The minister it is learnt, had arrived at the French Embassy
last week to obtain a visa for him and his family.
The incident came, just days after he was bombarded with all
round condemnation for his recent act where he had harassed
journalists from a private television channel.
The minister along with a large number of his overbearing
security, had arrived at the embassy in a hurry and had gone
to meet several officials to discuss about his and his family’s
visa matter.
Meanwhile, political circles were abuzz that the minister
may make an overseas run for a short while, until his latest
crisis calms down.
Political sources were of the opinion that soon after Saturday’s
election in the Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces,
the minister who has also been tasked with carrying out the
government’s dirty work, is likely to make a dash to
Europe and return to the island once the simmering crisis,
in which he plays a central role, cools down.
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