Following the incident in which a speeding car collided with a three-wheeler in Kollupitiya on 10 December, killing the 58-year-old three-wheeler driver, Police Media Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police and Attorney Nihal Thalduwa, addressing the media yesterday (12), revealed that the 24-year-old driver of the car had fled to Dubai, UAE, within hours of the accident, and that the Police did not have sufficient time to discover that the man was due to leave the country within a few hours. He also claimed that assistance of the International Police (Interpol) is being sought to extradite the suspect.
“This car driver in question is from Wellampitiya. After the incident which took place between 6.30 to 7 a.m., he had fled the scene. Then, he departed the country at around 9.55 a.m. via flight. Investigations have shown that he had planned to leave the country, which is why he was able to leave within a short period of time. The passengers in the car were coming back from a nightclub in Bambalapitiya, and investigations have shown that they were under the influence of alcohol. We cannot, however, confirm that without a medical test. When the Police arrived at the location and were trying to investigate, they did not have adequate time to discover that the driver in question was due to leave the country in such a short period of time,” explained Thalduwa.
According to Police investigations, the driver is a businessman from Dubai but also a Sri Lankan citizen from Wellampitiya where his mother also resides.
Five passengers – three women and two men – had been travelling in the vehicle.
Video footage of one of the females along with another male passenger being assaulted by pedestrians’ onsite after the accident circulated in the media. Thalduwa said that two women were taken into custody for attacking the individuals, and that a third woman who is suspected to be linked with the assault is in the process of being identified, and will be taken into custody as soon as her identity is revealed. The two women who were taken into custody were also presented before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court, according to Thalduwa.
He also assured that the Police are conducting investigations together with the Colombo Municipal Traffic Police and the Kollupitiya Police, and that the International Police will be providing assistance to see that the driver returns to Sri Lanka, following which he will be taken into custody.
“As soon as we are notified of his return to the country, we will act immediately and take him into custody. We will obtain the necessary assistance from the court and impose a travel ban on him as well,” said Thalduwa.
Responding to claims of the driver being a businessman with close connections to powerful individuals in the Government, Thalduwa said: “He is a businessman from Dubai. Investigations have not proved anything else. We identify him as the driver of the car, and we are taking necessary measures to take legal action against him. Whatever connection there may be, we know that an accident has taken place and that he was driving. This cannot be hidden. This happened, a person died, legal action will be taken against the guilty parties, but no one can take the law into their own hands. The assault could have caused another incident.”
