The Attorney General’s Department opposed granting bail to suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon, arguing that he evaded law enforcement despite an open warrant for his arrest.
Tennakoon, wanted in connection with the 2023 W15 Hotel shooting in Weligama, surrendered to the Matara Magistrate’s Court on March 19. The court ordered him remanded until March 20.
Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, representing the AG’s Department, told the court, “Your Honour, this morning I received information that the suspect, against whom an open warrant has been issued for his arrest, arrived at the Matara court in a luxury Benz car, dressed in a suit, and was seated inside the court premises. It was after receiving this information that I decided to appear before this court. This suspect seems to believe he can enter court like a sneaky cat, break through empty cell blocks, and secure bail without notifying us. Even when I arrived at court, he was seated on a bench, dressed formally. Your Honour, I would like to ask—how is he sitting on a bench? He should be inside a cell.”
Peiris further stated, “He is a criminal. A criminal should not walk into court with an air of arrogance. He should be crawling on the ground. He switched off his phone and evaded court for about 20 days. He is no different from organized criminals like Makandure Madush and Harak Kata. Moreover, he is a skilled actor—he only appeared before court when he had no other option left. This suspect even named Your Honour as the first respondent in the petition he filed before the Court of Appeal, accusing the court of conspiracy.”
Peiris continued, “This suspect, during his tenure as IGP, once claimed that lawyers protect criminals. Yet today, he himself has surrounded himself with lawyers to appear before court. Your Honour, this is not just the case regarding the W15 hotel shooting. This is an instance of karmic justice in action. He does not need an explanation about the law of karma—he is experiencing it firsthand.”
Addressing Tennakoon’s alleged attempts to evade arrest, Peiris said, “Your Honour, after the arrest warrant was issued, a massive police operation was launched to find him—just as if we were searching for Prabhakaran. He has used his social and religious influence to evade arrest until yesterday. The address listed as his residence is actually occupied by a Buddhist monk. Over the past few days, police have questioned officials, politicians, and others regarding his whereabouts. He has made deals with influential people. When police searched his house, they found 795 bottles of liquor worth over a hundred million rupees. There were also over 100 hampers. Government employees cannot even get simple gift packs, so how did he obtain these? His house is not just a home—it is distillery. No property is registered in his name, yet he owns around eight houses. That is why I say he is even more dangerous than organized criminals. He is a ghost”
He urged the court to reject Tennakoon’s bail request, saying, “Given his position and the nature of the charges, there is a risk that the suspect could obstruct the investigation if released.”
President’s Counsel Shanaka Ranasinghe, appearing for Tennakoon, said, “After the arrest warrant was issued, my client filed a case before the Court of Appeal seeking relief. Since that request was rejected, he voluntarily appeared before the court this morning.”
“This suspect, as the Inspector General of Police, led a major operation under the name of ‘Yukthiya’ Through this operation, a large number of individuals involved in criminal activities were arrested and are currently in prison. Therefore, if this suspect is to be remanded, his safety must be ensured”
After reviewing the arguments, the Matara Magistrate’s Court ruled that Tennakoon would be remanded until March 20, when a decision on his bail application would be announced. (NewsWire)
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