Malaka case next week

By Teles Anandappa

Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate Ms. Dharshika Wimalasiri directed the police to produce Malaka Silva and Chaminda Senasinghe in court on the next hearing on October 17, when the case was called on October 4. Malaka is accused of assaulting Senasinghe at a restaurant using the butt of a pistol when Senasinghe was in the company of a German lady.

Malaka Silva

Mr. Senasinghe is an accountant who had returned to Sri Lanka on holiday and had gone to the restaurant to have dinner when Malaka had allegedly brushed against him and asked him whether he knew who he was and butted him with his forehead. He is alleged to have drawn a pistol and assaulted him. When Senasinghe had fallen Malaka’s bodyguards who were present had allegedly joined in the assault.

Mr. Senasinghe had then left the restaurant and entered a private hospital for treatment and subsequently gone to the Cinnamon Gardens police station to lodge an entry. After he had made the statement he had entered hospital again for further treatment.

When the case was heard in the Mt. Lavinia High Court Clinton Dabare, counsel for Malaka had moved for bail but was refused by the magistrate. At the recommendation of Dr. Geethanjan Mendis, Malaka was warded at the Merchants Ward of the National Hospital for treatment. He was produced in courts from the Merchants Ward on two occasions.Attorney Daya Perera appeared for the aggrieved party Senasinghe.

Subsequently a fundamental rights petition was filed in the Supreme Court against the treatment granted to Malaka Silva being warded at the Merchants Ward whereas he should have been warded at the prison hospital just like any other other remand prisoner. Malaka Silva was transferred on October 12 to the prison hospital.