Former Peliyagoda Police OIC, 3 officers face indictments

The Attorney General yesterday (17) filed indictments before Colombo High Court Judge Buddhika Sri Raghala against four police officers, including former Peliyagoda Police OIC Chief Inspector Linton Silva, over allegations of brutally assaulting and torturing a law student inside the Peliyagoda Police Station five years ago.

The accused include former OIC Linton Silva and police officers Jayakodi Arachchige Sumith Kumara Somarathna, Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Nadun Tharaka Madhuranga Abeykoon, and Papagodaarachchige Athula Wijesinghe.

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

The Attorney General has filed charges 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 indictment, on or around February 25, 2021, Migara Gunaratne had attempted to provide lunch to a detainee named Shashika Jayaveera, a client of the President’s Counsel, who was being held at Peliyagoda Police under a detention order.

It is further alleged that police officers attempted to extract a forced statement from the detainee, and that the resulting tense situation escalated, leading to the student being brutally assaulted and tortured by officers.

Migara Gunaratne later filed a fundamental rights petition before the Supreme Court claiming his rights had been violated.

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