Piyumi's son, arrested for assaulting with a shovel, is referred to probation (video)

A crucial court order was issued today (11) regarding the individuals arrested in connection with the inhumane assault on a three-wheeler driver in the Rajagiriya, Kalapaluwawa area. Six suspects, including the son of well-known model Piumi Hansamali, were arrested by the Welikada Police in connection with this incident and produced before the court. After considering the facts presented, Colombo Additional Magistrate Nuwan Kaushalya ordered that all suspects be remanded until the 16th.

This order was issued based on the facts presented to the court by the Welikada Police, who are investigating this assault incident that generated significant public discussion, and the necessity for a suspect identification process.

The primary reason for this conflict was a road accident that occurred in the Rajagiriya area about three months ago. According to information reported by the police to the court, the accident happened when a motorcycle driven by a friend of Piumi Hansamali's son and the three-wheeler of the assaulted individual collided. At that time, an argument erupted between the two parties due to this accident, and as a result of it escalating, Piumi Hansamali's son and a group of his friends came and assaulted the three-wheeler driver. Although this incident occurred several months ago, legal action only commenced recently.

While the incident had been suppressed, a series of video clips circulated on social media networks in the past few days brought this crime back into public attention. The videos clearly showed one person attempting to assault the three-wheeler driver with a shovel-like weapon. The assaulted young man was seen running around the three-wheeler, pleading for mercy and trying to save his life. The police informed the court that due to this inhumane assault, the injured driver even had to be admitted to the Colombo National Hospital for treatment. The victim, experiencing severe discomfort and shame due to the dissemination of the assault footage on social media, decided to go to the Welikada Police and file a complaint.

Upon receiving this complaint, the Welikada Police immediately launched an investigation and succeeded in identifying the suspects involved. It was noteworthy that the faces of the six individuals, including Piumi Hansamali's son, who were arrested and produced before the court, were completely covered. The police requested the court to remand the suspects to prevent any influence on the independence of witnesses, as an identification parade was scheduled to be held on a future date. The police also pointed out that the purpose of covering their faces was to protect the legal validity of this parade.

However, the panel of lawyers representing the suspects argued before the court that this incident occurred several months ago, and the relevant video footage and photographs have already been circulated among millions of people via social media. The defense attorney contended that there would be no purpose in presenting the suspects for an identification parade when their images have already been publicized, stating it would merely be a technical step. Therefore, he requested the court to release the suspects on bail without subjecting them to an identification parade.

Amidst these arguments, Colombo Additional Magistrate Nuwan Kaushalya, in announcing his decision, emphasized that proper legal procedure must be followed as investigations are still ongoing. The Magistrate pointed out that an identification parade, being an official judicial process, cannot be bypassed merely because footage has appeared on social media, and he rejected the defense's bail application. Accordingly, all six suspects were ordered to be remanded until the 16th, and an identification parade was ordered to be held on that day under the full supervision of prison officials.

Furthermore, another significant fact revealed in court regarding this incident is the decision to place Piumi Hansamali's son and one other suspect, who are among those remanded, under probation. Court sources state that this step was taken after considering their age and relevant legal provisions. Notably, Piumi Hansamali's son had previously been arrested and produced in court in connection with another incident of assaulting a young man inside a garage in the Rajagiriya area. In that previous case, he was released on a personal bail of five hundred thousand rupees. Investigating officers are paying close attention to the fact that the same individual has been involved in two similar acts of violence within a short period.

This assault occurred in the Ambagahandiya area, which falls under the Welikada Police Division, and the police had launched a special operation to arrest the suspects. Although months had passed since the incident, there was no hindrance to the enforcement of the law, and the police's search operations conducted last night (09) to locate the absconding suspects were successful. After arresting one suspect, the other suspects were also brought to justice.

Although the assaulted individual has physically recovered, his objective is to obtain justice for the unpleasant experience he faced and the embarrassment he suffered in front of society. The police have identified taking the law into one's own hands over a common incident like a road accident and carrying out a potentially fatal assault as a serious crime. The future course of the case will be decided after the identification parade scheduled for the 16th, and this incident has sent a strong message to society about the rule of law in the country.

Watch the video related to this incident ›