The United National Party has called for a free and fair investigation into the incident outside the Magistrate’s Court in which a cameraman allegedly attacked a police officer guarding former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and said authorities must establish the motive behind it.
The party made the call on Wednesday, the Daily Mirror reported.
The dispute over how serious it was
UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena rejected remarks by Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala characterising the incident as minor and not serious.
“We feel that the Deputy Minister’s comments are an indication that a proper investigation will not be conducted into the incident. This is a serious incident as it is the first time we have seen a security officer being attacked. The motive behind the attack should be determined,” Abeywardena told a media briefing.
“A weapon, regardless of what it is, can be used in different ways. It can be used for self-defence or to kill someone. Therefore, it is not appropriate to come out with different interpretations about it,” he added — a reference to the camera said to have been used.
Former Minister Rajitha Senaratne went further, saying the incident raised the question of whether it could have been a rehearsal for a more serious attack targeting Wickremesinghe. Responding to Watagala’s description, Senaratne asked what the Deputy Minister meant by serious attacks, and whether he was referring to the insurgencies of 1971 and 1988.
What happened
The incident occurred on Wednesday, September 30 near the entrance to the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court as Wickremesinghe left a hearing in the case concerning the alleged misuse of state funds for a 2023 trip to the United Kingdom.
A police sergeant attached to the Ministerial Security Division was admitted to the National Hospital in Colombo after allegedly being struck on the head with a camera. A television cameraman was arrested at Slave Island Police on October 1 when he arrived to give a statement, accompanied by an attorney.
The Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association has separately asked police to determine whether the security officer’s duties were obstructed, or whether the journalist’s ability to work was interfered with — framing the question as a two-sided one. The UNP’s statement addresses only one side of it.
What remains untested
The allegation against the cameraman has not been tested in court, and no outlet has reported what preceded the physical contact. Senaratne’s suggestion of a rehearsal is a question he raised, not a finding by any investigator, and the Daily Mirror reports no evidence offered in support of it.
The report does not name the cameraman or his broadcaster, give the extent of the sergeant’s injuries, state what charges are contemplated, or say whether Watagala has responded to the UNP. It does not say in what capacity or forum the Deputy Minister made the remarks the party is objecting to.
This report rests on a single verified newsroom. No account of the UNP briefing had appeared on Hiru News, NewsFirst, EconomyNext, the Island or Daily FT at the time of writing.
