ECONOMYNEXT – The Bar Affiliation of Sri Lanka has raised considerations over a potential evaluate by the Cupboard of Ministers over the Lawyer Common’s determination to launch three suspects associated to a high-profile killing of an editor in 2008.
Sri Lanka’s Lawyer-Common has launched three key suspects within the long-running assassination case of high-profile editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, paperwork confirmed this week. The transfer has shocked individuals who have been searching for justice for a very long time.
Lawyer-Common Parinda Ranasinghe (Jnr) has ordered the discharge of Premanand Udalagama, a former navy intelligence officer, and Prasanna Nanayakkara, the then-DIG, who was remanded and bailed after proof linking them to the homicide and sabotaging the investigation.
“The BASL is firmly of the view that choices of the Lawyer Common in legal issues shouldn’t be reviewed by the political authorities together with the Cupboard of Ministers as that will undermine the independence of the workplace of the Lawyer Common, which is essential to uphold the rule of regulation,” the BASL stated in a letter to President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
The BASL stated while the AG is a public functionary and as such is accountable to the general public for his choices, the AG performs a quasi position in respect of legal issues.
“As such, the Lawyer Common has to resolve whether or not or to not cost a suspect based mostly on the fabric obtainable and submitted to him by the investigating authority,” the BASL stated.
“In doing so, he can be required to think about whether or not such materials is admissible in regulation and whether or not based mostly on such materials, there exists an inexpensive prospect of a conviction.”
The sudden determination to discharge three suspects in one in all Sri Lanka’s most emblematic circumstances comes regardless of President Disanayake having urged the Lawyer Common’s Division final month to revive public confidence within the judicial system.
“..we urge Your Excellency to make sure that there isn’t a unwarranted interference with the train of the powers of the Lawyer Common and we belief Your Excellency will proceed to guard the independence of key establishments together with that the workplace of the Lawyer Common which is important to guard the rule of regulation in our nation,” the BASL wrote.
PRIME MINISTER RESPONDS
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuria within the parliament on Friday responding to a letter written to her by slain Wickrematunga’s daughter stated the brand new authorities intends to hunt justice for the homicide of Wickrematunga.
She additionally assured that the federal government will do every part to make sure justice is delivered and observe the due course of whereas making certain the independence of the AG Division.
“However justice ought to be delivered. If obligatory, we are going to refile the case. There are sufficient proof,” the Prime Minister instructed the parliament.
In a letter to the CID, AG Ranasinghe in January ordered investigators to tell the Mount Lavinia Justice of the Peace of his determination to not proceed in opposition to the three key suspects within the related case and to report again inside two weeks.
A replica of the letter, which was additionally despatched on to the Justice of the Peace and two different recipients, was dated 27 January 2025 however has been extensively shared on the social media platform X this week.
Udalagama, a former navy intelligence officer, had been in remand custody over allegations of abducting Wickrematunge’s driver and threatening him with dying until he stopped implicating the Directorate of Navy Intelligence (DMI) within the killing.
Wickrematunge’s driver had alleged that his employer was killed by a DMI unit, as beforehand reported to the courts by the Prison Investigation Division (CID) of the police.
Nanayakkara, then-DIG in control of the realm the place Wickrematunga was murdered, was arrested in 2018 and remanded in custody for suppressing important proof within the homicide case earlier than being launched on bail.
Shortly earlier than he was killed, Wickrematunge, had famous down the registration numbers of bikes that had been following him on the morning of 8 January 2009. The assassins arrived on bikes.
Police scene-of-crime officers recorded their observations, however had been ordered the removing of their notes from the official police information.
Wickrematunge’s pocket book was handed over to DIG Nanayakkara, who then handed it on to the then-Inspector Common of Police, Jayantha Wickramarathne, additionally a suspect within the cover-up.
Ultimately, the pocket book disappeared after the case was transferred to the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID).
Regardless of the police prime brass making concerted efforts to hide proof, junior law enforcement officials had secretly made photocopies of Wickrematunge’s pocket book, in addition to their very own observations recorded within the Grave Crime Info E-book (GCIB).
These photocopies of the unique police entries within the GCIB, together with a duplicate of Wickrematunge’s pocket book, resurfaced on the CID nearly 9 years after the crime.(Colombo/February 07/2025)
