Malabe student faced mental depression after assault ; witness tells court

A university lecturer told the Colombo High Court today (Aug 6) that the student of the Malabe technology institute, who was assaulted in 2009 had shown signs of mental depression following the incident.

Lecturer Neel Francis Joseph, attached to the John Kotalwala Defence University made these remarks while appearing as a witness in the assault case of student Nipuna Ramanayake.

He said that he had examined the condition of the student days after the assault while he had been receiving treatment at the Colombo General Hospital.

High Court Judge Shashi Mahendran announced that further hearing of witness statements in the case would take place on August 27.

Former police deputy inspector general (DIG) Vaas Gunawardena has been named as the accused along with his wife, son, and six officers of the Colombo Crimes Division over the case.

Gunawardena is serving a life imprisonment term after being convicted in the murder of businessman Mohamed Shiyam.

The Attorney General has filed charges against the suspects under two counts over the incident believed to have taken place between August 8 - 21 in 2009.