Attorney-at-law Gunaratne Wanninayake, wanted over a clash with a police constable, has filed a writ petition begging the Court of Appeal to stop his arrest, all while remaining out of sight.
Attorney-at-law Gunaratne Wanninayake has sparked controversy by filing a writ petition before the Court of Appeal seeking an order to prevent his arrest, even before he decides to appear in court. The unusual move has raised eyebrows, as the lawyer remains elusive while simultaneously requesting legal protection.
The petition is scheduled to be taken up today, with Wanninayake asking the court to issue directives preventing law enforcement authorities from arresting him in connection with a heated incident involving a police constable at the Mount Lavinia court premises.
According to the police, teams were deployed on several occasions to track him down, but he has managed to avoid detection. This has only fueled speculation, with critics questioning how a practicing lawyer can disappear from public view while actively filing motions in the country’s higher courts.
The case stems from an alleged altercation at court premises, a matter that police insist requires accountability. However, Wanninayake’s legal team argues that an arrest would be unjust and unnecessary until the facts are established.
As the Court of Appeal prepares to hear the matter, the public is left watching a curious drama unfold, a lawyer in hiding, asking the very system he avoids to shield him from the law.
