Indictments against Deshabandu Tennakoon expected within a month, AG informs Supreme Court

The Attorney General informed the Supreme Court yesterday (25) that indictments are expected to be filed against former Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon over the attack on the “Gota Go Gama” protest site in May 2022 within one month.

This statement was made during the hearing of an appeal filed by the Attorney General against a Court of Appeal decision that had nullified a letter issued by the Attorney General to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), directing that Deshabandu Tennakoon be named as a suspect in the case.

The case was heard before a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court consisting of Justices A.H.M.D. Nawaz, Achala Wengappuli, and Sampath Wijeratne.

During the proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General Suharshi Herath, appearing for the Attorney General, informed the court that steps would be taken to file indictments against Deshabandu Tennakoon, the respondent in the case.

The presiding judge, Justice Nawaz, asked how long it would take to file the indictments.

In response, the Deputy Solicitor General stated that indictments would be filed within one month.

President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, appearing for Deshabandu Tennakoon, argued that if indictments are filed against his client, continuing the present case would be meaningless.

After considering the submissions, the three-judge bench scheduled the matter to be taken up again on September 2.