SRI LANKA: Arbitrary arrest and harassment of a man by the Ingiriya police 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the illegal arrest and detention of a man named Saman Rohana Manawadu by the Ingiriya police. Mr. Manawadu was arrested and his van was confiscated due to the police’s claim that his van was a stolen vehicle and used in a murder. The next day, after his father brought all documents pertaining to the vehicle, he was released on bail. The victim insists that he was illegally detained and harassed by SI Chandana and the Ingiriya police because he rejected SI Chandana’s previous request to use his vehicle for personal errands.

At about 7:30pm on 28 June 2006, Mr. Saman Rohana Manawadu, a 39-year-old trader from Nugadanda, Ingiriya, Sri Lanka was traveling in his van (No. JA8412) when he was stopped by Sub-inspector Chandana and another policeman from the Ingiriya police station. The police told Mr. Manawadu that they received a ‘message’ that the van was a stolen vehicle. At that time, the two policemen were in civilian clothes. Mr. Manawadu showed his driver license and insurance papers to the police to prove that the vehicle was legally possessed by him. The police also could not find anything suspicious inside the vehicle. However, they still arrested Mr. Manawadu and took his vehicle to the Ingiriya police station where the victim was detained.

About one hour later, Mr. Manawadu’s father arrived at the police station with all documents pertaining to the van. Very strangely the police further claimed that the vehicle was suspected of being used in a murder case. The officers then requested a clearance from the Registrar of Motor Vehicle (RMV) department to hold the van. As a result, Mr. Manawadu was detained at the police lock-up overnight.

The next day (June 29), Mr. Manawadu’s father returned to the police station and managed to release Mr. Manawadu on bail. They also obtained an order sheet from the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Ingiriya police station for the release of the vehicle. But the police dragged their feet in releasing the vehicle and only did so at about 5:30pm. At the time, the police also forced Mr. Manawadu to sign a statement without showing its contents.

According to Mr. Manawadu, he believes that he was illegally detained and harassed by SI Chandana and the Ingiriya police because he rejected SI Chandana’s request to use his vehicle for personal errands about six months earlier. Although Mr. Manawadu admits that he had obliged the request in the past, he later became unwilling to continue the practice. He further said that SI Chandana had made the same request on several previous occasions and was again denied the use of his vehicle. Mr. Manawadu believes that SI Chandana is harassing him to seek revenge over the matter.

In Sri Lanka, the police are notorious for misusing their authority for personal reasons. For example, the AHRC has previously reported on the case of the brutal torture of two young men, who simply requested that the police, who allegedly took their motorcycle without informing them, return their motorcycle (See further: UA-136-2005, UP-97-2005, UP-98-2005 and UP-113-2006). In another case, family members were allegedly assaulted by the Saliyawewa police in May 2006 because they failed to pay a bribe that was directed towards them (See further UA-149-2006). The Sri Lankan government must establish strict discipline within the police force to stop such crimes on ordinary people.

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