Almost the entire first fifteen rugby squad of St. Benedict’s College Kotahena, including its captain, has been released on bail to appear in court next week after they were arrested by police on a complaint made by a team member over an alleged case of assault.
The player is alleged to have been assaulted by his team-mates and was admitted to hospital with bloody injuries and his statement was recorded by the Kotahena police who produced the suspects in court.
Officer in charge of the Kotahena police and former Sri Lanka rugby flanker Niranjan Abeywardena said all 25 suspects which included senior and junior players were arrested and produced in court which ordered them to appear on May 26.
The victim Brian Wijemanne, said to be a promising player, is alleged to have been set upon and assaulted by his team-mates who accused him of skipping practices.
Wijemanne in his statement told police that he decided to attend practices when his school persuaded him and gave him the green light to train with the squad after he recovered from injuries sustained during a match.
In his police statement Wijemanne alleged that when he went for practices the captain had summoned players from both the junior and senior teams lined them up and then ordered him to stand in the middle before commencing the assault.
The victim had then gone home after the incident and revealed what had happened to him to his grandmother who discovered a bloody injury to his head.
Principal of St. Benedict’s College Rev. Bro. Granville Perera told the Daily Mirror that he wasted no time in suspending both the captain and the vice captain of the team saying he had also warned the players that he will not tolerate any acts of violence or misconduct at the school.
He promised to pay for the medical expenses of the player after meeting his (player’s) grandparents who lodged a complaint with the school authorities.
The player’s mother was overseas at the time of the inciden
The player is alleged to have been assaulted by his team-mates and was admitted to hospital with bloody injuries and his statement was recorded by the Kotahena police who produced the suspects in court.
Officer in charge of the Kotahena police and former Sri Lanka rugby flanker Niranjan Abeywardena said all 25 suspects which included senior and junior players were arrested and produced in court which ordered them to appear on May 26.
The victim Brian Wijemanne, said to be a promising player, is alleged to have been set upon and assaulted by his team-mates who accused him of skipping practices.
Wijemanne in his statement told police that he decided to attend practices when his school persuaded him and gave him the green light to train with the squad after he recovered from injuries sustained during a match.
In his police statement Wijemanne alleged that when he went for practices the captain had summoned players from both the junior and senior teams lined them up and then ordered him to stand in the middle before commencing the assault.
The victim had then gone home after the incident and revealed what had happened to him to his grandmother who discovered a bloody injury to his head.
Principal of St. Benedict’s College Rev. Bro. Granville Perera told the Daily Mirror that he wasted no time in suspending both the captain and the vice captain of the team saying he had also warned the players that he will not tolerate any acts of violence or misconduct at the school.
He promised to pay for the medical expenses of the player after meeting his (player’s) grandparents who lodged a complaint with the school authorities.
The player’s mother was overseas at the time of the inciden
