Suspect in accident that killed policeman gets bail

• Suspects released on two sureties of Rs. 500,000

Tharinda Katugaha Ratwatte, 24, the driver of the Defender vehicle involved in the motor accident that killed a 22-year-old police constable was released on bail yesterday by Colombo Additional Magistrate Y. Prabhakaran.

The suspect was released the two sureties of Rs. 500,000. Court was informed that the family of the subject had given Rs. 100,000 to the other motorcyclist who was injured in the accident. 

Duleeka Yomal Alahapperuma, a Police Constable attached to the State Intelligence Service (SIS) who played a major role in recovering the Rs. 7.9 million robbed from the Colombo National Hospital, passed away last Sunday (14 June) from serious injuries he sustained in the accident which took place at Thunmulla on 11 June.

Police informed the Court that the accident took place between 10:50 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. on 11 June at Thunmulla. The suspect had left his home at Barnes Place, Colombo 5, where a party was in progress to drop off a friend in Boralesgamuwa, and the accident had taken place when he was returning home.

The policeman had sustained serious injuries and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the National Hospital where he died three days later.

Ratwatte was taken into custody by the Police at the scene of the accident and it was established that he was under the influence of liquor.

The Police report submitted to court blamed both parties for the accident.

Meanwhile the funeral of Duleeka Yomal Alahapperuma, who was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant, took place on Wednesday in his hometown of Nekum Wewa, Polonnaruwa.