Former Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Wimal Weerawansa narrowly avoided arrest after appearing before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court shortly after an arrest warrant was issued against him for failing to attend a scheduled hearing.
Key Highlights
- Arrest Warrant Issued: Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama initially ordered the arrest of Wimal Weerawansa when he failed to appear when his case was called.
- Vehicle Fault Cited: Defense counsel informed the court that a mechanical breakdown delayed the former lawmaker’s arrival.
- 2016 UN Protest Case: The charges relate to a demonstration held outside the United Nations office in Colombo that allegedly caused severe public obstruction.
- Case Postponed: Further recording of prosecution evidence has been fixed for October 19, with the magistrate advising a formal motion to recall the warrant.
The long-running case involves Weerawansa and five co-accused—Jayantha Samarawera, Weerakumara Dissanayake, Piyasiri Wijenayake, Roger Seneviratne, and Mohamed Musammil. When the matter was called before Chief Magistrate Bodaragama, all co-accused were present except Weerawansa. With prosecution witnesses also absent, the Magistrate initially issued a warrant for Weerawansa’s arrest and scheduled the next hearing for October 19.
Weerawansa arrived at the court premises a short while later. His attorney explained that an unforeseen mechanical failure with his vehicle prevented him from arriving on time and requested the court to recall the warrant. After considering the explanation, the magistrate directed the defense counsel to submit a formal motion to recall the warrant the following day.
The legal proceedings, instituted by the Cinnamon Gardens Police under the National Thoroughfares Act and the Police Ordinance, stem from a demonstration staged on February 6, 2016. The protest was organized against the visit of then-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein. Police allege the demonstration unlawfully blocked major thoroughfares around Thummulla Junction and the UN office, causing widespread disruption to traffic and public inconvenience.