Deshabandu Tennakoon granted bail

Suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has been granted bail today (10) after being produced before the Matara Magistrate’s Court.

Accordingly, he was granted bail under two sureties of Rs.1 million each, Ada Derana reported said.

Tennakoon was previously remanded until today, after he surrendered to the court on March 19.

After an arrest warrant was issued in connection with a shooting incident near a hotel in the Pelena area of Weligama in December 2023, he surrendered to the court by submitting a motion after absconding for nearly 20 days.

Following his surrender, the Matara Magistrate ordered that the suspect be remanded until today.

The Matara Magistrate’s Court had previously issued an arrest order for eight police officers, including former officers of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) and IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, naming them as suspects in the shooting incident that occurred in front of the W15 Hotel in the Pelena area of Weligama, Matara, on December 31, 2023.

Following this, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was instructed to arrest and present the eight individuals, including Deshabandu Tennakoon, before the court.

On March 17, the Court of Appeal dismissed the writ petition filed by Tennakoon, in which he sought an interim injunction to prevent the execution of the arrest order issued by the Matara Magistrate’s Court in connection with the shooting incident.

The Court of Appeal subsequently directed the CID to take immediate steps to arrest Tennakoon and present him before the court.

Meanwhile, a resolution to appoint a committee of inquiry for the removal of Deshabandu Tennakoon from his position as Inspector General of Police (IGP) due to alleged misconduct and abuse of power, was passed in Parliament on Tuesday.