August 21, Colombo (LNW): Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon is due to be presented before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today (21), following his arrest by officers attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The arrest, which took place at his residence yesterday, marks a significant development in ongoing investigations linked to the controversial crackdown on anti-government demonstrators in May 2022.
The former top-ranking police officer has been taken into custody in relation to the violent incidents that unfolded at Galle Face Green on 9 May 2022, during the peak of the ‘Aragalaya’ protest movement. The protest, which drew widespread public participation and international attention, was forcefully dispersed amid allegations of state-sanctioned violence and collusion between law enforcement and pro-government groups.
Tennakoon, who was serving in a senior police capacity at the time, has faced persistent scrutiny over his alleged role in either facilitating or failing to prevent the assault on peaceful protesters. His arrest follows a series of legal manoeuvres undertaken by his legal team to avoid detention, including the submission of an anticipatory bail application earlier this week.
However, on August 20, Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura dismissed the bail request after considering the submissions made by Tennakoon’s lawyers. The application sought to forestall any attempt to arrest the former IGP, citing concerns over due process and potential political motivations behind the case. The Magistrate, however, found no sufficient grounds to grant the protective relief requested.
Legal observers view this arrest as a critical test of accountability in the aftermath of the 2022 unrest, which saw public institutions, including law enforcement, accused of failing to uphold constitutional protections.
With Tennakoon now in custody, the court proceedings are expected to shed light on the extent of institutional involvement in the events of that day.
