Sri Lanka: CID interrogates four MPs over attack on protesters in Temple Trees, Gale Face
May 19, 2022
Colombo [Sri Lanka], May 19 : Sri Lanka's team of Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officers on Wednesday questioned four MPs, including former Ministers Rohitha Abeygunawardena and CB Ratnayake, over the violence near Temple Trees and Galle Face Green in Colombo, a local media reported.
The inquiry team arrived at the Parliament complex on Wednesday's morning with the permission of the Speaker to record the statements of ministers. Earlier, they have recorded the statements of Sahan Pradeep and Sanjeewa Edirimanne.
The investigation team recorded the statements of the four MPs following a notice issued by the court, Colombo Page reported.
A team of officers from the CID also visited the Parliament on Tuesday and took statements from several Members of Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General on Monday instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of the CID to immediately arrest and produce in court 22 persons, including former minister Johnston Fernando and DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon, in connection with the attack on the peaceful protesters at Maina Go Gama in front of the Temple Trees and Gota Go Gama in Galle Face green in Colombo on the 9th of May, reported Colombo Page.
More than 100 protestors were injured at the Galle Face protest site during violent clashes resulting in a nationwide curfew with the country's tri forces ordered to shoot at sight all those who plunder public property or cause personal harm on May 12.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests over the government's handling of the situation.
The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a fall in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reckless economic policies, like the government's move last year to ban chemical fertilizers in a bid to make Sri Lanka's agriculture "100 per cent organic".
Amid the political and economic crisis, the leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa who had earlier demanded the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa before assuming Prime Ministership, has written an open letter to the President that he is ready to assume the office of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka if Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigns within a stipulated time after Premadasa assuming office.
