SL Telecom-Cricket Chairman Thilanga Sumathipala remanded

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 January 2004, 13:24 GMT]
The Colombo Additional Magistrate Mr.Vikum Kaluarachchi Monday ordered remand for the Chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom and Sri Lanka Cricket Mr.Thilanga Sumathipala till January 30. Mr.Thilanga Sumathipala who failed to attend courts on four earlier occasions appeared in court in a wheel chair Monday under tight security, legal sources said.

Mr.Thilanga Sumathipala has been charged with having assisted an underworld criminal Dhamikka Amarasinghe to travel to England in a forged passport to witness World Cup Cricket tournament -1999 violating the country's Immigration and Emigration Control Act, legal sources said.

When the case was taken for further hearing Monday the defense counsel Mr. Kolitha Dharmawardene raised an objection that the court had no power to take further legal action against his client Mr.Thilanga Sumathipala as the first suspect in the case Mr. Dhamikka Amarasinghe had been shot dead in the Chief Magistrate's Court recently. As such the prosecution was not in a position to maintain the charges against Mr.Thilanga Sumathipala, legal sources said.

The Additional Magistrate rejected the objection stating that he had no power to release Mr.Thilanga Sumathipala as he had been charged under the Immigration and Emigration Act.

The Deputy Solicitor general Mr.Sumeda Gamlath furnished court-amended charge sheet on Mr.Thilanga Sumathipala, court sources said.

The Additional Magistrate ordered remand for Mr.Thilanga Sumathipala till January 30 and instructed the relevant officials to provide him with necessary security and medical facilities. The court further said the amended charge sheet would be served on the suspect on January 30, court sources said.