Court rejects Duminda’s request

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

A Colombo Court yesterday rejected an application made by parliamentarian Duminda Silva to leave the country to attend a medical clinic at a hospital in Singapore, where he received treatment for his head injuries. Filing a motion before Colombo Additional Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage, Counsel Charitha J. Hansadewa appeared for parliamentarian Duminda Silva and pleaded the Court that his client’s passport be released for a period of two weeks since he had been instructed to attend a medical clinic at the Mount Elizabeth hospital in Singapore.

Counsel further informed the Court that Parliamentarian’s surgeon Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr. Keith Goh had instructed him to attend this medical clinic to re-examine his surgical operations. Having considered the submissions, the Additional Magistrate observed that the bail conditions in respect of the suspect had been imposed by the Colombo High Court and thereby the Magistrate’s Court has no jurisdiction to consider it.

While rejecting the request made by the defence counsel, the Additional Magistrate further maintained that there are no sufficient facts being presented before Court over the suspect’s health condition. Parliamentarian Duminda Silva is the 11th suspect in the killing incident of former Presidential Advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and three others, at Mulleriyawa on the local Government elections day on 8 October 2011.