How Champika Ranawaka swapped the driver after the accident was revealed in court

Harsha Bandara Thilakasiri, who served as the former minister Champika Ranawaka's personal assistant at the time, has stated before the Colombo High Court that a driver was presented to the police following a road accident in the Rajagiriya area, acting on the instructions and information provided by the former minister. He revealed this while giving evidence before the court on June 25.

The witness has stated that on the night of February 28, 2016, when the said accident is said to have occurred, he was engaged in physical exercises with his foreign girlfriend, a woman named Lee, and driver Alwis, at the Boralesgamuwa walking track. At that time, the accused Mr. Champika Ranawaka made a phone call to driver Alwis, stating that an accident had occurred, and instructed him to report to the Borella Police immediately.

Mr. Harsha Bandara further stated that he also made a phone call to the former minister to further confirm this. He testified that the former minister told him, "An accident happened, send a driver to the police." However, since it would take too long to send driver Alwis from Boralesgamuwa to Borella, the witness said that he took steps to send the other driver named Thusitha to the police instead.

The witness further stated that after this incident, he returned to the official residence, and at that time, the former minister was present there. Mr. Harsha Bandara Thilakasiri emphasized before the High Court that upon observing the former minister at the official residence, it was clearly evident to him that the minister was in a state of unease or severe apprehension.