The Colombo High Court yesterday temporarily lifted the travel ban imposed against Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Patali Champika Ranawaka over the case for an alleged motor accident that took place in 2016 at Rajagiriya.
The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Damith Thotawatta.
President’s Counsel Sarath Jayamanna appearing for accused Ranawaka requested Court to lift the travel ban imposed against his client from April 8 to April 27 to travel to Australia during that period.
The High Court Judge ordered the lifting of the travel ban imposed on Ranawaka during this relevant period and also ordered the temporary release of his passport which was in the custody of Court. The case was fixed for trial on April 4.
The Attorney General had filed an indictment before the High Court against former MP Patali Champika, his driver Thusith Dilum Kumara and ASP Sudath Asmadala over the hit-and-run accident at Rajagiriya in 2016.
Accordingly, the indictment was filed against former MP Patali Champika on charges of causing grievous injury to a youth named Sandeep Sampath while driving a vehicle in a reckless manner.
The indictment comprising 16 charges was filed against all three accused on charges of fabricating false evidence, conspiracy of fabricating evidence and submitting false reports to the Court.
The main charge is relating to conspiring and fabricating false evidence to claim that it was Dilum Thusith Kumara who was driving the vehicle which caused the accident and another charge relates to him allegedly conspiring to conceal evidence in order to protect MP Patali Champika from legal penalty. ASP Sudath Asmadala was charged with producing a false report to the Colombo Magistrate’s Court in order to protect former MP Patali Champika from legal penalty.
President’s Counsels Anuja Premaratne, Anil Silva and Sarath Jayamanna appeared for the defence. Senior Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Pieris appeared on behalf of the Attorney General.