The case involving Lohan Ratwatte, who, while serving as the State Minister of Prisons and Reforms, allegedly entered Anuradhapura Prison at night in an intoxicated state and threatened to kill a Tamil inmate by placing a pistol on the prisoner’s forehead, has been scheduled for rehearing on July 29 by Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate Nalaka Sanjeewa Jayasuriya.
This announcement was made when the case was recalled before the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate’s Court on April 24.
In addition, the report from the Prisons Department’s internal investigation into the incident was submitted to court, in compliance with a previous order issued by the Chief Magistrate directing the Commissioner General of Prisons to produce the report.
The Chief Magistrate also ordered the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) to provide the defense attorneys with copies of statements made by witnesses 1 to 12 involved in the investigation.
When the case was heard, the defendant, former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, who is currently out on bail, appeared in open court.
The Chief Magistrate further ordered Ratwatte to appear before the court on July 29, and also instructed the first and seventh witnesses in the complaint to be present on that date to give evidence.
In preliminary submissions, the Colombo Crimes Division informed the court that the Attorney General had confirmed that sufficient evidence had been uncovered indicating that the suspect—former State Minister of Prisons and Reforms, Lohan Ratwatte—had entered Anuradhapura Prison on or around September 12, 2021, and threatened to kill inmate Pubara Sinhan Suriya Parlan by pointing a firearm at him, thereby committing an offense under Section 183 of the Sri Lanka Penal Code.
Accordingly, the CCD further informed the court that a charge sheet will be filed against Lohan Ratwatte under Section 486 of the Sri Lanka Penal Code, as instructed by the Attorney General.
Fourteen individuals have been named as witnesses in the case, including Second-Class Jailor Kumburegedara Jayathilaka, who was on duty at the time of the alleged offense; Assistant Superintendent of Police R.M.P.G.S.D.B. Ratnayake from the Legal Division of Police Headquarters; Chief Inspector Lalith Ranasinghe from the Colombo Crimes Division; and several prison officers and inmates who were at Anuradhapura Prison during the incident.
The prosecution is led by Chief Inspector Aneslam De Silva, OIC of the Colombo Crimes Division, assisted by Deputy Inspector A.H.L. Sumanasiri and State Counsel Samadari Piyasena.
The defense is represented by President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, along with attorneys Nuwan D. Alwis and Nissanka Peiris.
President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran, together with attorneys Kesavan Sajanthan and Benaslan, appeared on behalf of the aggrieved party.
