Champika in hit-and-run drama

By Premalal Wijeratne-2016-03-03

In a dramatic turn of events, two young men who gave chase to a black Jeep which attempted to escape after running down two motorcyclists in Welikada last Sunday said that the driver of the jeep at the time of the accident was in fact Minister of Megapolis and Western Development, Patali Champika Ranawaka.

Two eyewitnesses, who are friends of the 24-year-old motorcyclist Sadim Sampath, said that while the injured motorcyclists were being transported to the Colombo National Hospital (CNH) they chased after the fleeing Jeep and obstructing its path forced it to halt before demanding the driver's NIC.
The driver of the vehicle had identified himself as Minister Champika Ranawaka. "I am Minister Champika and since i am at fault let's go to the Borella Police Station" the Minister had allegedly told them.
The two young men had however abandoned the idea of going to a Police Station with a Minister in tow as they felt it was not prudent and they had left to visit the injured motorcyclist at the Colombo National Hospital (CNH).

One of the friends of the injured motorcyclist, Vinura, who visited his friend at the CNH told Ceylon Today that he, along with his other friend who gave chase to the vehicle allegedly driven by the Minister, had lodged a complaint with the Welikada Police.
He said that in their statement to the Police they had mentioned the name of the Minister and said that the Policemen who had recorded their statement had not allowed it to be read by them but insisted they place their signatures to the complaint.

Ceylon Today reliably learns that there had been a change of driver in the Jeep allegedly involved in the accident before it reached the Borella Police and that driver had been subjected to a medical test before they were directed to report to the Welikada Police.
Welikada Police had informed the two youth that if they wanted a copy of the statement given by them to the Police with an identifying number given to it, they should make a written application by a lawyer for that purpose.
The Jeep that was driven into the Welikada Police compound had its number plate covered.
The driver who apparently claimed to have been driving the Jeep at the time of the accident was produced in Court by the Welikada Police and released on personal bail of Rs 500,000.