The Colombo High Court on the 3rd dismissed a preliminary objection raised by former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka regarding a 2016 road accident case, which had been delayed due to repeated legal objections.
State Counsel argued before the court that the charges against the accused were properly framed based on available evidence. The prosecution pointed out that Ranawaka, who faces charges for failing to prevent an accident, had actively taken steps to mislead the investigation.
According to facts presented in court, the incident occurred on February 28, 2016, in Rajagiriya, when a vehicle driven by the former Minister collided with a youth. Ranawaka is alleged to have misled investigators by failing to report the accident to the police and substituting the driver.
Although indictments were filed on July 09, 2020, proceedings have faced continuous delays over the years due to multiple preliminary objections raised by the defense.
