The Colombo Chief Magistrate yesterday issued warrants for the arrest of National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa and MP Jayantha Samaraweera for not being present in Court in connection with a case filed against them by Cinnamon Gardens Police.
Two suspects were not present before Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara over an allegation that the NFF leader and five others provided leadership to a protest that blocked the main roads at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, causing disturbance to the people and the normal flow of traffic. Further magisterial inquiry was fixed for June 12.
On February 6, 2016, the NFF staged a protest march against the visit of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.
Six suspects, including NFF leader and Colombo District MP Wimal Weerawansa, Jayantha Samaraweera, Weerakumara Dissanayake, Piyasiri Wijenayake, Roger Seneviratne, Mohammed Muzammil and Don Lucien are currently out on bail.
The Cinnamon Gardens Police had informed Court that the suspects who organised the procession had failed to obtain prior permission from police to organise the march.
They further alleged that the organisers had also used loudspeakers without a valid permit .
Police further submitted to Court that the suspects provided leadership to a protest which had blocked the main road at Bauddhaloka Mawatha towards Havelock Town, causing disturbance to the people and the normal flow of traffic.