BY Cassendra Doole
The alleged involvement of Minister of Megapolis and Western Province Development, Patali Champika Ranawaka, in an accident on Sunday 28 February, has become a hotly debated topic in political and media circles.
On the day in question, a vehicle belonging to Minister Ranawaka was allegedly involved in an accident with a motorcycle, injuring two riders. Sandeep Sampath, a resident of Meegoda, received serious injuries to his head and is currently at the Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital. His pillion rider M. Abeysundara, a resident of Colombo 5, suffered a broken arm.
What ensued in the immediate aftermath of the accident was riddled with accusations and counter-accusations. According to the eyewitnesses to the incident the jeep involved in the accident was driven by Minister Ranawaka and he failed to stop at the scene.
The minister has admitted that it was indeed one of his ministry vehicles that was involved in the accident, but claims that at the time of the accident it was being driven by a driver attached to his ministry.
The eyewitnesses, who lodged a complaint with the Welikada Police, also complain of nonchalant attitude of the Police officers in recording their complaint against the minister.
two eyewitnesses
It is in this context that the two eyewitnesses, Gayashan Vinura and Mohommed Sufai, who are friends of the two injured riders, have filed two affidavits with the Police Headquarters on Friday (4) night, concerning the accident.
Police Media Spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara told Ceylon Today the two witnesses arrived at the Police Headquarters on Friday evening with two lawyers, and gave two written statements that they have previously prepared, to the Police Headquarters.
“The Acting Inspector General of Police, who received the two affidavits, will send it to the Western Province Senior DIG to conduct further investigations. During the investigations, the necessary actions will be taken by the Police,” he added.
The two eyewitnesses, Gayashan Vinura and Mohommed Sufai, narrated the incident and their witness accounts to the media.
“On 28 February, six of us went to watch the Motor Show at the BMICH. Around 10 p.m., we headed towards Rajagiriya on motorcycles. Two of our friends went ahead of us and we – Sufai and I – rode our motorcycles behind Sandeep and another friend. That was when Sandeep’s motorcycle knocked against a jeep. When that occurred, I saw that the vehicle that hit Sandeep’s motorbike drive away, so I gave chase to it with Sufai.
“I managed to obstruct the path of the jeep and attempted to open the front passenger side door to beat the driver up, when someone wearing sunglasses climbed out of the passenger side. It is possible that the minister may have quickly shifted from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat because we did not see anyone else in the vehicle. When he climbed out of the jeep, he took off his sunglasses and said ‘don’t assault me, I am Minister Champika Ranawake, it was my fault. I will go to the Borella Police with you.’ I didn’t want to go with him because I was scared. So I asked for his national identity card but he refused to give it. He was the only one in the vehicle.”
Gayashan and Sufai added that the bike they were riding has an engine capacity ranging between 100 and 250 CC, while the motorbike that was involved in the accident has an engine capacity of 1000 CC.
According to the Police Media Spokesman, 1000 CC motorbikes are not allowed on public roads as they are racing bikes. “The motorbike involved in the accident was a 1000 CC bike. They are not allowed on the roads because they are race bikes. However, we are conducting further investigations into the legality of the vehicle in question as well.”
In the written statement, Gayashan and Sufai further say, “When the minister’s vehicle left, we went back to the scene of the accident and found out that our friends had already been taken to the hospital. However, there was a large gathering of people there. When we mentioned that the vehicle belonged to Minister Champika Ranawaka, some in the crowd said the minister often travels around that area in the same vehicle.
“We were concerned about our friends and as we did not know which hospital they were taken to, we first went to the Kalubowila Hospital. However, as they were not there, we then went to the Colombo National Hospital. By then, treatments have already begun. We found a few of our friends there as well, so we all went to the Welikada Police to lodge a complaint. The time was around 11:45 p.m. then.
Police response
“We told the two front desk officers of the Police Station that we wanted to lodge a complaint. We had to wait for quite some time because there weren’t any Traffic Police officers at that time. While we were waiting, the vehicle involved in the accident, bearing registration number KT 7545 was also brought to the Police Station.
“After waiting for about an hour, our statements were recorded. We mentioned how the accident occurred and that the driver was indeed Minister Champika Ranawaka. The Police officer wrote down the complaint in a small book but he did not allow us to read the complaint before he made us sign it. We signed on the place he pointed at.”
Gayashan further said “My friend is still in the ICU. This minister was involved in a hit-and-run. We are asking the President to give a little bit of attention to this. There have been others that were taken to Singapore and treated and we ask for some justice like that for our friend too. It’s true the minister was involved in a hit-and-run. But, he should have at least had the courtesy to visit our friend.”
The attorneys representing the two witnesses told the media: “Law should be equally applicable to everyone. No one is above the law. Our clients went and lodged a complaint with the Welikada Police. It is sad that the Police did not take any action based on the complaint. Their friend is currently in the ICU. In a situation as dire as this, the Police must be quick. We know various investigations are conducted in situations such as this. But, when there is an eyewitness account such as this, we condemn the fact that the Police have not taken the required action.”
The Police Spokesman said, “Of the two injured, the rider of the motorcycle is being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Colombo National Hospital. The pillion rider who suffered a broken arm is also in a ward at the same hospital, but his condition is not serious.”
ASP Gunasekara further said the driver who admitted that his vehicle met with an accident had been arrested after he surrendered to the Borella Police that night and handed over to the Welikada Police for further action.
The driver, Thusitha Kumara, who was produced before the Hulftsdorp Magistrate on 29 February, had been released on a personal bail of Rs 500,000.
Furthermore, his driving licence has been suspended. The vehicle which belongs to the Ministry of Power and Energy and the motorcycle involved in the accident are being kept at the Borella Police Station pending examination by the officials of the Department of Motor Traffic. The case has been postponed to 4 May 2016.
Minister’s version
Speaking at a media briefing at the Kalutara District Secretariat, Minister Champika Ranawaka maintained that the vehicle was not driven by him, but his driver, despite the statements given by the two witnesses who said the minister was the only one who was present in the jeep.
“These motorcyclists are young children. It is one of them that had caused this accident. We have allowed the Police to conduct an impartial inquiry into this accident.
“I have not put any pressure on the Police. We hope they (Police) will conduct a thorough investigation. This trend of biker gangs trying to roam the city streets was evident during the previous regime and now it has reared its ugly head once again. We intend to act strictly against these biker gangs. We have not shielded anyone in this accident. Even the driver of the jeep and the vehicle involved were handed over to the Police.”
Furthermore, on a Facebook post the minister added: “There were false reports that the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident had fled the scene. The driver was in fact arrested and charged for the accident by the Rajagiriya Police. The Courts had suspended his driving licence. The driver was arrested after the Police collected several eyewitness reports that claimed my driver was at the scene. The Police are currently conducting investigations into the matter.
“The current situation of the country allows any investigation to be carried out into this matter. I wish a speedy recovery for the child who is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.”
Despite Minister Ranawaka claiming he did not drive the vehicle, eyewitness Gayashan Vinura is convinced he did not see anyone else in the vehicle.
“The minister was alone. He did not even have any bodyguards with him. All we ask is that our friend be given some form of justice in this situation.”
Courtesy:Ceylon Today