News
Court of Appeal quashes Fort Magistrate’s summons on SDIG Deshabandu
… also invalidates AG’s move to name top cop as suspect in May 09 attack
The Court of Appeal yesterday (26) quashed the summons issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Thennakoon, asking him to appear before courts as a suspect in an ongoing case over Rs. 17.8 million in cash found at the President’s House during Aragalaya on June 09 2022.
The Appeal Court bench comprising Justices Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and A. Marikkar issued the ruling on the writ petition filed by the Senior DIG.
The court also issued a writ order invalidating a letter issued by the Attorney General to name SDIG Tennakoon as a suspect in respect of an attack on the “GotaGoGama” protest site at the Galle Face Green on 09 May 2022.
SDIG Tennakoon filed a writ petition calling for a court order to prevent the hearing of a case against him before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court. The SDIG stated that the summons issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court ordering him to appear before the court in relation to the private complaint filed was against the law.
The private complaint in question was filed against SDIG Tennakoon pertaining to the money found by the Aragalaya activists at the President’s House in Fort, Colombo on 09 July 2022.
The funds were later handed over to the Fort Police, and thereafter the Colombo Fort Magistrate called for a report on the investigation into the matter owing to certain discrepancies.
SDIG Tennakoon also filed a petition before the Court of Appeal seeking the annulment of a letter sent by the Attorney General to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) asking it to name him as a suspect in the case pertaining to the attack on the ‘GotaGoGama’ protest site.
News
INS NIREEKSHAK makes port call in Colombo
The Indian Navy Ship (INS) NIREEKSHAK arrived in Sri Lanka for Operational Turnaround (OTR) and a training visit on 21 Apr 26.
The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship at the port of Colombo in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions.
Commanded by, Commander Sailesh Kumar Tyagi, this Diving Support Vessel is set to conduct a training programme with the diving professionals of the Sri Lanka Navy.
The crew is also scheduled to participate in several activities organized by the Sri Lanka Navy and visit some tourist attractions within the country.
Latest News
Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts
Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 12.00 noon 21 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 21 April 2026
Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, Northcentral, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.
There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities
Latest News
Six Foreign Envoys Present Credentials to President Dissanayake
Two High Commissioners, three Ambassadors and an Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (20).
The ceremony, held at 10.00 a.m., followed the formal order of precedence, with the envoys representing Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Luxembourg, the Holy See, Pakistan and Kuwait.
Accordingly, diplomats who presented their credentials were:
01. Vincent Sumale, High Commissioner-designate of Papua New Guinea (Based in New Delhi)
02. Abdullahi Mohammed Odowa, Ambassador-designate of Somalia (Based in New Delhi)
03. Christian Biever, Ambassador-designate of Luxembourg (Based in New Delhi)
04. Monsignor Andrzej Józwowicz, Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See
05. Major General (Retd) Nayyar Naseer, High Commissioner-designate of Pakistan
06. Saleh Mubarak Al-Sarawi, Ambassador-designate of Kuwait
Following the presentation of credentials, the President engaged in a cordial discussion with them. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, were also in attendance.
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