COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Attorney General today (7) filed indictments before the Matara High Court against former Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon and seven others in connection with the shooting incident at the W15 Hotel in Weligama.When the matter was taken up before the High Court, the court ordered that all nine accused be released on bail.The court also granted a separate date for the payment of cash bail after considering a request made by lawyers appearing for the accused.The incident dates back to the night of December 30, 2023, when a team of eight police officers attached to the Colombo Crimes Division travelled to Weligama in a van as part of what was described as a special operation.According to investigators, it was during that operation that the shooting at the W15 Hotel took place.On February 28, 2025, the Matara Magistrate's Court ordered the arrest of then Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon and seven others, naming them as suspects in connection with the incident.Those initially named as suspects were Deshabandu Tennakoon, former Officer-in-Charge of the Colombo Crimes Division Chief Inspector Anslem de Silva, Police Inspector Mahesh Dunusinghe, Police Inspector Jagath Nishantha, Sub-Inspector Roshan Madhuranga, Police Sergeant Prasanna Kumara, Police Constable Supun Priyashan and Police Driver Constable Gihan Piyatissa.Police Sergeant Upul Chaminda Kumara, who had accompanied the team during the operation, was killed after coming under fire from officers attached to the Weligama Police during the incident.Subsequently, then Acting Director of the Colombo Crimes Division, Assistant Superintendent of Police Neville Silva, surrendered before court and was named the ninth suspect in the investigation.
