March 29, Colombo (LNW): A police constable attached to the Special Protection Division, along with a civilian from Thalawathugoda, has been taken into custody for allegedly assisting suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon in evading arrest for nearly three weeks.
The arrest was confirmed by the police spokesperson, who stated that the two individuals had helped Tennakoon remain in hiding from February 27 to March 19.
Tennakoon, who had been the subject of an active arrest warrant, was wanted in connection with a shooting that took place near a hotel in Weligama’s Pelena area on December 31, 2023.
Despite repeated attempts by law enforcement to apprehend him, he managed to evade capture until eventually surrendering to the court on March 19.
Following his appearance, he was remanded in custody and is currently being held at Dumbara Prison in Kandy until his next court hearing on April 03.
Prior to his suspension, Tennakoon held the highest-ranking position in Sri Lanka’s police force, making his evasion of arrest and subsequent surrender a topic of national debate.
Earlier, the Matara Magistrate’s Court had issued arrest warrants for eight police officers, including former members of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), alongside Tennakoon.
All were named as suspects in the shooting incident outside the W15 Hotel in Weligama.
Authorities are continuing investigations into the circumstances surrounding Tennakoon’s disappearance, including the possible involvement of additional individuals in aiding his escape.
