Owner of collapsed Kandy building remanded

BY CYRIL WIMALASRENDRE 

KANDY –

Anura Lewke, the owner of the five-storey building that collapsed on a house in the neighbourhood burying three persons alive was further remanded till October 27 by the Kandy Additional   Magistrate Sampath Gamage on Tuesday 13.     

Judge Gamage refusing bail sought by the lawyers of Lewke ordered police to investigate the incident further and submit to the court all documents related to the construction of the building.

 Attorneys-at-law Maithri Gunaratne, PC and Nanda Senanayake appearing for Lewke pleaded that their client be granted any bail as the police had not yet charged him although they had earlier said that he would be charged under section 298 of the Penal Code.

Senior counsel for the team of lawyers watching the interest of the aggrieved party, objecting to bail, told court that the owner of the building had obtained approval for two floors only but built five floors.

Chief Inspector M.G.S. Bandera investigating into the tragedy said that police were proceeding with investigations and those recordings of CCTV cameras in the location of the disaster had been erased.

Sergeant Bandara assisted CI M.G.S. Bandara.

A large number of lawyers including members of the Kandy Bar Association appeared for the aggrieved party. Among them were President of the Kandy Bar Association P. K. Abeyratne, Secretary Bandara Karunanayake and Dhammika Ariyadasa.