Malani Lokupothagama, the former District Secretary of Ratnapura, along with a group that included the former Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Ratnapura Police, expressed their apologies to a journalist in the Supreme Court for an incident involving the assault of said journalist, purportedly for wearing a hat while entering the office of the Ratnapura District Secretary. This development, reported as the latest news in Sri Lanka, stemmed from a mutual agreement between both parties involved. In the Supreme Court, the respondents assured that they would refrain from taking any further action against the journalist, Mr. Sarath Wimalaratne, and agreed to withdraw the case filed against him in the Magistrate Court.
The genesis of the case was a petition alleging that a group comprising an official from the Ratnapura Provincial Office, a former sergeant of Ratnapura Police, an army corporal from Kuruwita Army Camp, among others, had assaulted and arrested journalist Mr. Sarath Wimalaratne. He was purportedly detained by Ratnapura Police, with allegations of violating his fundamental rights, under the pretext of entering the office of the Ratnapura District Secretary while wearing a hat. Subsequently, the matter was resolved through negotiations.
The petition was deliberated upon by a bench of Supreme Court judges, namely Mr. Murdu Fernando and Mr. Mahinda Samayawardena.
The respondents named in the petition filed by journalist Sarath Wimalaratne included Mrs. Malani Lokupothagama, the former District Secretary of Ratnapura, Anuradha Bandara, who served as the Archdiocese of Ratnapura, the former Station Commander of Ratnapura Police, a former Constable of Ratnapura Police named Samira Kuruwita, Army Corporal Senanayake attached to the military camp, and others.
