by Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Industries and Commerce Ministry today told the Colombo Fort Magistrate that the CCTV camera system set up around the Ministry premises had malfunctioned during the alleged trespassing was committed by a group of Buddhist monks attached to the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) on April 23 this year.

The group of Buddhist monks entered the Ministry in search of UPFA Mahiyanganaya Pradeshiya Sabha Member Ven. Watareka Vijitha Thera. They told the media they had received a tip-off that Jathika Bala Sena (JBS) General Secretary Watareka Vijitha Thera was hiding inside the ministry building from early morning that day.

Submitting a technical report before Magistrate Thilina Gamage, Counsel Maithri Gunaratne appearing for the Ministry told the private company which was involved in installing the CCTV camera system at the Ministry premises had also confirmed that there had been a technical error on the CCTV system. By issuing a technical report the company stated that there was no recording taking place on April 23. The report further said the investigations have revealed the Digital Video Recorder (DVR) had not been functioning properly due to a defect in its Hard Disc Drive (HDD).

However, the Counsel moved Court that an order be issued on television channels which recorded the incident directing them to hand over their video footage to the Kollupitiya police for further investigations. Accordingly, the Magistrate directed three private television channels to hand over the relevant video footage to the Kollupitiya police.

In a complaint to the Kollupitiya police, an additional secretary of the ministry said a group of monks had forcibly stormed the building without any permission and entered all the rooms in search of Ven. Watareka Thera. Counsel Maithri Gunaratne with counsel Shiraz Noordeen appeared for the Ministry. Further magisterial inquiry was postponed for June 26.