PC Grabbed Notes Of Journalists Under Judicial Instructions, Says National Police Commission

September 06, 2016

The Police Constable who grabbed the notes of the journalists reporting on the Magisterial Inquiry on the death of a youth in Embilipitiya had acted on instructions of the Additional Magistrate of Embilipitiya, the National Police Commission has found.

Therefore the NPC decided that no action will be taken against the PC over the incident.

The Young Journalists' Association had complained to the NPC against the police over their action.

The incident took place when magisterial enquiry to the death of Sumith Prasanna Jayawardena, which occurred in a clash between civilians and police was heard before Embilitpita Additional Magistrate on January 13.

The Police Constable had grabbed the notes of journalists when they were taking notes while the first witness on Embilipitiya incident was testifying.

When journalists complained to the then Police spokesperson ASP Ruwan Gunasekara, he had said the incident would have happened since journalists were taking notes without court’s permission to do so.

 

Later the journalists were given few papers but they lost the opportunity to note down the rest of the evidence.