Former Peliyagoda OIC Indicted Over Brutal Assault on Law Student

COLOMBO (News 1st); A group of four police officers, including former Peliyagoda Police Station Officer-in-Charge Chief Inspector Linton Silva, have been formally indicted before the Colombo High Court over allegations of brutally assaulting and torturing a law student inside the Peliyagoda Police Station five years ago.

The indictments were filed before Colombo High Court Judge Buddhika Sri Ragala.

In addition to Linton Silva, the other accused police officers are Jayakodi Arachchige Sumith Kumara Somaratne, Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Nadun Tharaka Madhuranga Abeykoon, and Papagoda Arachchige Athula Wijesinghe.

The victim of the alleged assault is law student Migara Gunaratne, the youngest son of former Western Province Governor and President’s Counsel Maithri Gunaratne.

The Attorney General has filed charges against the accused under Section 32 of the Penal Code and under the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Act, No. 22 of 1994.

According to the case, on February 25, 2021, Migara Gunaratne had attempted to provide lunch to Shashika Jayaweera, a client of the President’s Counsel, who was being held in custody at the Peliyagoda Police Station under a detention order.

At that time, it is alleged that police officers attempted to forcibly obtain a statement from the detainee, and a disagreement that arose escalated, during which the officers are said to have subjected the law student to inhuman assault and torture.

Claiming that his fundamental rights had been violated, Migara Gunaratne subsequently filed a petition before the Supreme Court.

Following the hearing of the petition, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled that the responsible police officers, including the then Officer-in-Charge Linton Silva, along with the State, must pay compensation to the petitioner from their personal funds.

The case is scheduled to be taken up again on July 16.