Court orders not to arrest Kurunegala Mayor

The Court of Appeal has ordered not to arrest the Kurunegala Mayor and four others until 24th of August.

The Kurunegala Magistrate had earlier re-issued warrants against the Kurunegala Mayor and four others over the demolition of a historical building in Kurunegala in July.

The Court re-issued the arrest warrants through the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) C. D. Wickremeratne and the Superintendent of Police of the Kurunegala Police Station.

The Kurunegala Magistrate had cited the failure of the Kurunegala Police to execute the warrants ordered to be issued last week on the suspects.

The Magistrate had also issued an order preventing the suspects from leaving the country.

Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera had instructed Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP)?C.D. Wickremeratne to obtain a warrant from Court, arrest and produce the Mayor of Kurunegala Thushara Sanjeeva Witharana, Municipal Commissioner Nishantha Thilakaratne, Municipal Engineer Chaminda Bandara Adikari, Acting Director for the removal of illegal constructions Ilaludeen Zulfika, and operator of the Bako machine used for the demolition Lakshman Priyantha.

The 13th Century King?s Court of King Bhuvanaikabahu II in Kurunegala, dating back to the Kurunegala / Yapahuwa Kingdom Era, was allegedly?demolished on 18 July?by the Mayor of Kurunegala and officials from the Urban Development Authority disregarding warnings by the Archaeology Department.

Following the demolition, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed a 5 member expert committee, headed by Director-General of Archaeology Professor Senarath Dissanayake.

The?preliminary report of the committee appointed to investigate the demolition was handed over to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on 22 July, consisting of five proposals, including to institute legal action against those responsible for the demolition. (Colombo Gazette)