IGP probe into Anuradhapura rally remarks on court order
Current status of the IGP probe into Anuradhapura rally remarks on court order
During an 18 September 2026 hearing in the separate Namal Rajapaksa CIABOC bribery case, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara presented the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court with a CD of a speech Weerawansa gave at an SLPP rally in Anuradhapura on 12 September 2026, in which he commented on the court's earlier order against Rajapaksa. The Chief Magistrate ordered the Inspector General of Police to investigate and report on whether Weerawansa's remarks amount to contempt of court. This is a distinct matter from the separate 2026 satyagraha contempt referral already before the Court of Appeal (wimal-weerawansa-contempt-referral) - it concerns different conduct (the 12 September rally remarks, not the July 2026 satyagraha) and a different procedural stage (a police investigation just ordered, not yet a Court of Appeal referral). No charge, finding of contempt, or arrest has been reported.
What’s happened
Investigation stage only. On 22 September 2026 it was reported that the Colombo Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) had begun the court-ordered investigation, on the Inspector General of Police's instruction, into whether Weerawansa's 12 September Anuradhapura rally remarks amount to contempt of court; the Magistrate directed investigators to keep the court informed of the inquiry's progress. No report date, charge, finding of contempt, arrest, or Court of Appeal referral has been reported for this specific matter. On 30 September 2026 Newswire reported that the CCIB had summoned Weerawansa to give a statement at 10 am on Friday (2 October 2026). A summons to give a statement is not an arrest, charge or finding.
- Court
- Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court (order); CCIB investigation reporting to Colombo Magistrate's Court No. 2
- Next hearing / due
- Next hearing not confirmed
IGP probe into Anuradhapura rally remarks on court order timeline
- Upcoming
Next Step Pending
No court date reported. CCIB statement summons: 2026-10-02
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court (order); CCIB investigation reporting to Colombo Magistrate's Court No. 2