Supreme Court Judge Priyasath Depp was sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena as Acting Chief Justice yesterday. Secretary to the President P. B. Abeykoon too was present. Picture by President's Media
Ramith’s driving license temporarily suspended
Colombo Additional Magistrate Chandana Kalansooriya yesterday ordered the temporary suspension of cricketer Ramith Rambukwella's driving licence following an accident that took place recently near the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, Colombo 7.
Rambukwella, set free on Police bail, was charged on five counts by the Cinnamon Gardens Police following the accident that occurred at around 6.30 am on 22 September.
The Cinnamon Gardens Police filed the case against the suspect in the Traffic Magistrate's Court. The charges filed against the suspect are drunken driving, negligent driving, failure to avoid a possible accident, driving a vehicle registered under someone else's name and driving with a fake number plate.
Speaking from the dock, the suspect pleaded guilty to the charges of negligent driving and failing to avoid a possible accident but pleaded 'not guilty' to the rest of the charges filed against him. The Cinnamon Gardens Police making submissions to Court stated that it had been proved following a breathalyzer test conducted immediately after the accident that the suspect was under the influence of alcohol.
Police told Court that the suspect was produced before a JMO for examination of any injuries sustained by him in the accident and the JMO in his report had stated that the suspect exuded the smell of alcohol. The Colombo Additional Magistrate put off the next hearing for 18 October. The suspect's father JO and SLFP Kandy District MP Keheliya Rambukwella was present in Court.
Exhumation of Lasantha’s body
A drone hovering over the area in which the body of slain Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickremetunga is buried, caused Police consternation, this morning.
Given the sensitivity of the case, the media was barred from being present when the body was being exhumed, and reports say Police were disturbed when they spotted the drone over the area.
Police were ill equipped to capture the drone or trace its origin.
On September 8, Mount Lavinia Magistrate Mohamed Saafdeen approved the CID’s request to exhume Lasantha Wickremetunga’s body, after the CID informed court that another postmortem was necessary to aid forensic investigation.
Mahinda nanda released on bail
UPFA parliamentarian Mahindananda Aluthgamage, arrested on charges of misappropriating funds while functioning as the minister of sport, was released on bail this morning.
He is accused of misappropriating 53 million rupees in 2014, while purchasing sports items, including 14, 000 carrom boards The case will be taken up again on November 4.
Most expensive car imported to SL so far
Recording the most expensive car imported to Sri Lanka, a leading businessman has imported a Rolls Royce super luxury car, worth over Rs. 158 million, customs sources said.
They said a private company in Sangharaja Mawatha, Colombo had imported the car - Rolls Royce Wraith- and removed it yesterday after paying Rs.
93 million as duty to the Sri Lanka Customs. The 2.4 tonne super luxury car has two-door and is made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars of Goodwood, England.
CV has no right to call for removal of Buddhist Temples
He told a media conference that there was no need to remove Buddhist temples because freedom of worship should be preserved in the North just like in other parts of the country.
“There are Buddhist temples, Hindu Kovils, Churches and Mosques in the rest of the country where the people coexist peacefully and the situation should be the same in the North as well," the state minister said.“Anyone could stage protests demanding parts of the country, but no matter what such demands will be of no use."
However, the state minister said some demands made by Mr Wigneswaran could be discussed with a view to arriving at a peaceful solution.
He said he agreed with one of the several demands made by Mr. Wigneswaran. This is about investigating some of the things that happened during the armed conflict.
“Investigations should also be carried out on the alleged sale of video clips on the war to channel-4 by some soldiers, the recent incident where an army officer is alleged to have killed his wife and all the other acts of violence carried out under the guise of war," he said while pointing out that such incidents were an insult to genuine military officers such as Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Wijaya Wimalaratne and Hasalaka Gamini. (Yohan Perera)
Condom to replace sexual stimulants
The National STD and AIDS Control Programme is to introduce a new condom to market as an alternative to sexually stimulating drugs.
Dr. Prageeth Premadasa of the programme said a team of foreign doctors have been conducting a research on the product. The research has brought successful results, he said.Many people at risk as they tend to use sexual stimulants without medical advice, he said.
HC issues notice on Tissa Attanayake
The Colombo High Court this morning, notified former Secretary General of the United National Party (UNP) Tissa Attanayake to appear before the court in the case in which he is accused of forging the signature of the (then) Common Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena and the and (then) Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The former Secretary General, defected from the UNP in the run up to the 2015 Presidential Election and publicized a letter purported to be between the (then) leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe and the (then) Common Candidate Sirisena.
The signatures of the (then) Leader of the Opposition and Common Candidate were allegedly forged on the letter.
The Common Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena went on to win the Presidential Election and the leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed Prime Minister in the current unity government.
Attanayake was on September 10, indicted by the Attorney General on three counts, over committing offences under the Penal Code, International Political and Civil Rights Convention and Presidential Election Act.