Lawless State? - Civilians being unjustly criminalized... (VIDEO)

February 6, 11 am - A group of Police officers, including the Minor Crimes OIC of Colpetty Police acted in an unruly manner along a private road leading from Galle Road towards the coast. The private road is dedicated for just one house. The owner of this house was manhandled by the Police, who said he "obstructed Police duty". However, when it came to providing evidence before court, Police failed back up this claim with solid evidence.

The incident

According to the house's maid, the owner and his sister were about to leave the premises to meet the Colombo Municipal Council Commissioner. "They were already in their vehicle. When I was inside the office, I heard screams.When I opened the door to see what it was, the OIC grabbed my boss by the collar and manhandled him. He yelled and threatened my boss." - the maid added. The owner of the house, his brother and his son were detained by police through last night (February 6) and were produced in court this morning. When Police produced the B report in court, they informed the Fort Magistrate that the suspects obstructed the Police duty. However, the B report failed to reveal whose duty was obstructed. The B report states the OIC of Minor Crimes at Colpetty Police visited and entered the private road leading to the premises based on a complain received by the Police Emergency Hotline. However, an Officer from the Colpetty Police failed to prove this claim in court. Then, in response to the Magistrates questions, the Police Officers said they entered the private road leaving to the premises based on "a complaint received by the Minor Crimes OIC on his private mobile phone". Interestingly, the three arrested men were taken to the Criminal Investigations Department before producing them in court. At the CID, there had been an attempt to get their signatures on certain documents. Two females in the private residence were injured during the incident. Today (February 7), Police recorded statements from the two women, who are currently being treated at the National Hospital, Colombo.

Connecting the dots

Something significant in this story is that the owner of this private house, who was manhandled in an unruly manner by Police, had filed a case against the Police on a previous occation at the Commercial High Court. The trial for this case is currently on-going. The case is filed based on a tender irregularity and a seperate investigation on the matter is being carried out by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. In addition, the individual victimized in this footage has sought relief from the Court of Arbitration to recover the losses incurred from the tender irregularity.

Is this manhandling by the Minor Crimes OIC of Colpetty and other officers,

an attempt to label him as a criminal

in the cases he had filed against the Police?

Minister of Law and Order, this is over to you.