Upali Kodikara gets bail after apologising to police

(Published in Daily Mirror on 29/10/2015)
 
By Shehan Chamika Silva

 Former Western Provincial Minister Upali Kodikara, who was remanded for obstructing the duty of the Police Officer at the BMICH, was yesterday released on cash bail of Rs. 10,000  and two sureties of Rs. one million each by Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya, after he made an apology to Kirulapone OIC Upul Samarasinghe in the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court.

Appearing for Provincial Councilor Kodikara, Counsel R.A.P.Ranawaka requested the Magistrate to grant bail, since an educational tour to Indonesia had been scheduled prior to this incident, by 41 councilors of the western provincial council and yesterday was the date of departure. Objecting to the request, SSP Counsel Ajith Rohana told the Magistrate that this was not a mere incident but an insult to the whole Police Department, as the incident had received media publicity.

He also submitted that Police could agree to allow bail if Mr. Kodikara apologized to the Police.
Mr. Kodikara then settled to apologize to the Police officer, who was involved in the incident and apologized according in the Sinhala tradition.

The Magistrate further asked the Police whether they accepted the apology or objected to the bail.
However, SSP Ajith Rohana agreed to bail on the condition of preventing Mr. Kodikara from giving statements to the Media with regard to this case.

The Magistrate further ordered Mr. Kodikara not to make any statements to the media with regard to this case and directed him to report to the Cinnamon Gardens Police every Sunday following his arrival in Sri Lankan after concluding the tour. The case was postponed for November 02.