News
Police questioned for delay in testing NPP MP for drunk-driving; woman and child hospitalised in accident involving his car
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
Asoka Ranwala
An infant and his grandmother injured in an accident involving the vehicle driven by former Speaker Asoka Ranwala are still receiving treatment in hospital, while the family has raised concerns regarding the impartiality of the investigations into the incident.
The infant’s mother, who also sustained facial injuries, was discharged after a surgery yesterday.
The accident occurred on Thursday around 7.30 p.m. in the Denimulla area, where the former speaker Ranwala’s vehicle collided with a motorcycle and car.
The seven-month-old infant’s father, Lahiru Harshana, told the Sunday Times that his son, Rion Sasmika, is still receiving treatment at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital. He added that the child underwent two CT scans. The reports were normal, but the neurologist treating his son had advised keeping him in hospital for further investigations.
“The bump at the back of the head of the child is also subsiding,” he said.
The two vehicles involved in the accident
Mr Harshana said that though his wife, Lakshika (25), was discharged from the National Hospital on Saturday afternoon, his mother-in-law, K.D. Pathma (54), remained in hospital to undergo surgery to insert a plate to fix her broken leg.
One of the key concerns raised by Mr Harshana was about the test to confirm whether Mr Ranwala was driving under the influence of liquor at the time of the accident. He alleged that it had been delayed.
He said although the accident occurred on Thursday night,
Mr Ranwala was reportedly subjected to the test only around Friday noon, nearly 14 hours after the incident.
“A police team that visited our residence on Saturday evening recorded statements, and when asked about their failure to conduct the drink-driving test immediately, they claimed that such a test could be carried out within 72 hours,” he said.
He said nobody from the NPP had visited them, although some members have been making comments that all assistance had been provided to the victims.
Police media spokesman SSP F.U. Wootler told the Sunday Timesthat the test to check if Mr Ranwala was under the influence of liquor was carried out by the hospital, but the reports were not available by last night.
As Speaker
He said as the accident occurred, the injured persons and child, as well as the former speaker, were admitted to Kiribathgoda Hospital.
When the police arrived at the scene of the incident, the former speaker had already been admitted to Kiribathgoda Hospital to receive treatment.
He said, therefore, the police officers waited until he received treatment and the doctors confirmed the former speaker had sustained injuries. Mr Ranwala was then transferred to the National Hospital, and it was only then that both blood and urine samples were collected for testing, he said.
He admitted that there was a delay in conducting the tests.
Meanwhile, the Sapugaskanda police said that vehicle examiners were yet to inspect the vehicle of the former speaker.
Police on Friday arrested the minister and charged him with reckless driving and failing to avoid an accident.
The report on whether the former Speaker was under the influence of liquor at the time of the accident was not available when he was charged.
Following his arrest, Colombo’s Maligakanda Magistrate Janaki Perara visited the National Hospital and released Mr Ranwala on Rs 200,000 bail.
The next hearing has been fixed for December 19.
(Additional reporting by W.D.M. Vithanage)
| Asoka Ranwala: A brief bio Asoka Sapumal Ranwala, the National People’s Power (NPP) Gampaha District MP, was born on June 19, 1960. He began his political career as a member of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and currently serves as a member of the National Executive Committee of the NPP. At the 2024 parliamentary elections, Asoka Ranawala came sixth in the NPP’s Gampaha District list of 16 elected MPs by obtaining 109,332 preferential votes. Mr. Ranwala completed his primary education at Yatiyana Primary School and his secondary education at Henegama Central College. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Moratuwa. It was his claim to holding a doctorate in Biochemistry from Waseda University, Japan, which was later found to be non-existent that cost him his short stint as the Speaker of Parliament. Mr. Ranwala has also previously served as Member of the Biyagama Pradeshiya Sabha and the Western Provincial Council. | |
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