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Gampaha High Court grants bail to former CID Director and SI Sugath Mendis
Bailed out by CoA earlier but re-remanded as bail conditions not submitted to court
Former director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) SSP Shani Abeysekara and Sub-Inspector Sugath Mohana Mendis were released on bail by the Gampaha High Court on Thursday after bail conditions imposed by the Court of Appeal were fulfilled.
Gampaha High Court Number 2 Judge S. Y. Mapa Bandara ordered the Superintendents of the Welikada and Mahara prisons to release the two suspects.
On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal released SSP Abeysekara and SI Mendis on cash bail of Rs 25,000 and two personal bonds of one million rupees each.
The two-member Court of Appeal bench comprising Justice Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice Ratnapriya Gurusinghe made this order pursuant to revision applications filed on behalf of the two suspects seeking an order to enlarge them on bail.
Court also rescinded the December 9, 2020 order by the Gampaha High Court refusing bail to the two suspects.
However, later in the day, Gampaha Chief Magistrate Manjula Karunaratne directed that the former CID director and two other suspects be further remanded till June 30, 2021, as their bail conditions had not been submitted in writing to court.
Abeysekara and SI Mendis are accused of fabricating evidence in a case filed against former DIG Vass Gunawardena, his son and six other suspects over the alleged possession of firearms.
Prison officers informed the Chief Magistrate that the suspects were not produced in court due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation.
Counsel Srinath Seneviratne appearing on behalf of Navaratne Prematilleka, one of the suspects, said that the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) has not completed recording the statement of his client who has remained in remand custody for 280 days.
CCD Inspector D. J. Nishantha, who appeared in Court in response to summons issued, said the long statements given by the suspect resulted in the delay in concluding the process.
The Chief Magistrate directed the CCD to record the suspect’s statement over three days during the next two weeks at the Mahara prison and report the progress in this regard to Court on June 30.
The third suspect in this case is Nishantha de Silva, a former Inspector of the CID, who is now overseas. However, there was no mention of him during the day’s proceedings.
The Court of Appeal directed that Abeysekara’s passport and any other travel document be surrendered to the Gampaha High Court and that he should not leave the country without prior permission of Court. Any change of residence should also be notified to Court.
The two suspects who were arrested by the police in July 2020 have been in remand custody since then.
Representing the Attorney General’s Department, Additional Solicitor General Rohantha Abeysuriya objected to bail being granted to the two suspects. Overruling the objections, Court released them on bail.
Under the direction of Counsel, Gowri Sangari Thavarasa, attorney-at-law Viran Corea appeared on behalf of Shani Abeysekara, while attorneys Isuru Gamage, Hafeel Fariz and Vigaswari Jayatilleka led by senior counsel Chaminda Athukorala represented the second suspect, Sugath Mendis.
Earlier, the Gampaha High Court rejected a revision application filed by the two suspects seeking bail. Later, they moved the Court of Appeal to reverse the order.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
