Another CID sleuth sick in remand, refused medical treatment

Athukorala is seeking the intervention of the Human Rights Commission to insist that Mendis be transferred to the (IDH) SI Sugath Mendis, the CID officer arrested in August with former CID Director Shani Abeysekara, is suffering from Covid-19 symptoms and is being denied medical treatment, according to a letter sent to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka by his lawyer.

Writing on behalf of Mendis, attorney Chaminda Athukorala has stated that his client, who is being held at the Mahara Remand Prison, is suffering from Covid-19 symptoms including having high temperature. while a PCR test was performed on him over the weekend, the results of the test have not yet been made available.the lawyer further stated that Mendis has been given no medication or ‘any other form of care’ as of Monday (7).

Athukorala is seeking the intervention of the Human Rights Commission to insist that Mendis be transferred to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) for treatment.he warned that there is an imminent danger to Mendis’ life since he has investigated many high profile crimes, and could be the target of an attempt on his life if transferred to the Welikada Prison Hospital or elsewhere.

Mendis’ lawyer reminded the commission that at the time his client was arrested in August, ‘he was coerced into making a confession against his superior officer Shani Abeysekara and due to his refusal, had been arrested and produced in courts and thereafter remanded together with Abeysekara by the Gampaha Magistrates Court.

Last month, abeysekara too was diagnosed with Covid-19 in Mahara.he was removed from the Mahara Prison Hospital and transferred to the Welikanda military holding centre in Polonnaruwa. Abeysekara suffered a heart attack in Polonnaruwa, and was later transferred to IDH following a public outcry demanding that he receive medical treatment.

All our attempts taken to contact the Superintendent of the Mahara Prison Jagath Weerasinghe for a comment failed. (NIRMALA KANNANGARA)