SriLanka: Ex-IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon arrested

In Sri Lanka, former Sri Lankan Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has been remanded until August 27 following his arrest by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The order was issued by Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura in Colombo on Thursday. Tennakoon’s arrest is linked to the investigation into the May 9, 2022 attack on the protest site in the capital, a focal point of mass demonstrations demanding political reforms and the resignation of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. At the time of the incident, Tennakoon was serving as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for the Western Province. He has since been identified as a suspect in the case. The court also instructed that all police witnesses be examined within a week, while the CID was directed to present a summary of evidence at the next hearing. The case remains a key moment in Sri Lanka’s accountability process over the 2022 unrest.