Former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Badulla District Member of Parliament Chaminda Wijesiri has been sentenced to one and a half years (18 months) of rigorous imprisonment by Badulla High Court Judge Jeyaram Trotsky.
The verdict was delivered in connection with charges including unlawful obstruction and threatening two police officers.
The trial was conducted against MP Chaminda Wijesiri, his driver Bandula Rathnayake, and a Ministerial Security Division (MSD) police officer, Rasika Karunathilake. Delivering the judgment, the High Court Judge found Chaminda Wijesiri and his driver guilty on four counts, while the MSD officer was found guilty on three counts.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that driver Bandula Rathnayake had passed away. Meanwhile, the court imposed a 10-year suspended prison sentence on the MSD police officer involved.
The incident occurred on or around February 10, 2019, near the Bandarawela bus station. According to the case details, Wijesiri grew enraged after a police jeep overtook his vehicle. He subsequently blocked the police vehicle, assaulted the officers inside, and caused injuries.
Although initial reports suggested that firearms were pointed to threaten the officers, that specific charge was not included in the final indictment presented to the court.
