Suspended IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon further remanded

The Matara Magistrate’s Court has ordered suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon to be further remanded until April 10 in connection with the 2023 shooting incident near a hotel in the Pelena area of Weligama.

Tennakoon, who had been subject to an arrest warrant, surrendered to the court by submitting a motion on March 19, after evading arrest for nearly 20 days.

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, the motion filed by a group of MPs for the removal of Tennakoon from the post of IGP is scheduled to be tabled in the Parliament on April 08 (Tuesday).