October 20, Colombo (LNW): Newly emerged CCTV footage has shed further light on a controversial incident that occurred at the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court last week, allegedly showing a police constable physically assaulting a junior lawyer within the court premises.
The footage, which began circulating on social media platforms in recent days, appears to capture the moment tensions escalated following a verbal dispute between the two individuals. Senior attorney-at-law Gunaratne Wanninayake has confirmed the authenticity of the video and stated that it clearly depicts the officer striking the young lawyer, reportedly over a disagreement related to court premises parking.
The altercation is said to have taken place on October 10, when the lawyer confronted the constable about a prison transport vehicle obstructing access to the court entrance. Eyewitnesses claimed at the time that the situation turned physical, and the newly released video seems to support those accounts.
The constable in question was arrested shortly after the incident and produced before the court. He was initially remanded until October 13 and has since been released on bail. While the Police and the Ministry of Public Security have announced the launch of an internal disciplinary inquiry, an official statement regarding the content of the CCTV footage has yet to be issued.
