News
Alleged attempt on SJB leader’s life: Sajith confirms Johnston’s accusation
Handunetti says accusers must have their heads examined
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday (24) confirmed that an abortive attempt was made on his life at Galle Face on the afternoon of May 09, 2022 in the wake of the attack by SLPP goons on those who had barricaded themselves outside the Presidential Secretariat.
Colombo District MP Premadasa said so in response to The Island query. We sought the Opposition Leader’s reaction to Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Kurunegala District MP Johnston Fernando’s declaration that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) made an attempt to assassinate the SJB leader.
Former Minister Fernando said that the Opposition Leader could have been killed on the road if not for the quick thinking of his driver who reversed the vehicle after Premadasa got into it to escape those chasing him.
MP Premadasa said: “That is correct.”
Top JVP spokesman and former MP Sunil Handunetti said that those who made that claim should have their heads examined. No sane person would have held the JVP responsible for that incident at Galle Face, the ex-MP said.
JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath didn’t answer his hand phone.
Lawmaker Fernando lambasted the JVP at the opening of his main Kurunegala district political office at Wilegoda at the outskirts of Kurunegala town on Poya day (April 23).
Alleging JVP activists destroyed his political office during the May 09/10, 2022 violence, MP Fernando said the JVP was nothing but a murderous outfit that also made an attempt on the SJB leader’s life.
SLPP Chairman Mahinda Rajapaksa presided over the meeting. MP Namal Rajapaksa was among those present on the occasion.
MP Fernando paid a glowing tribute to the SLPP founder Basil Rajapakse whom he declared the most capable organizer still active behind the scenes though various interested parties sought to ridicule him.
SLPP’s National Organizer MP Namal Rajapaksa, too, addressed the gathering.
MP Fernando later told The Island that the SJB leader obviously went to Galle Face on that day to declare his support for the high profile; ‘Gotagohome’ campaign. The SJB, both in and outside Parliament, backed the campaign against the then government but the JVP was not ready to recognize the right of any political party to join the protest movement.
Lawmaker Fernando claimed that had the JVPers captured Premadasa, the fate of Polonnaruwa District MP Amarakeerthi Atukorale would have befallen him. MP Atukorale was lynched along with his police bodyguard at Nittambuwa also on the same day.
Those responsible for national security should be ashamed of their failure to properly investigate the incidents/developments relating to the violent protest campaign, MP Fernando said.
In spite of clear evidence that the JVP spearheaded the abortive bid to seize control of Parliament, in the second week of July 2022, the police were yet to record a single statement regarding that development, MP Fernando said, alleging that nearly two years after the ouster of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa the government was yet to investigate the unprecedented and systematic destruction caused by politically-inspired protesters.
The ex-Minister emphasized that he was not the SLPPer to complain about the status of the investigation. MP Fernando also pointed out that the government has conveniently ignored Speaker Mahinda Yapa’s declaration of external hand in the protest campaign and interested parties threatened to harm his life after his refusal to cooperate.
Acknowledging that Amarakeerthi Atukorale’s trial was on, MP Fernando said that a comprehensive investigation was needed to ascertain the incidents/developments during the 2021/2022 period.
COPF final report on USD 2.5 mn cyber fraud recommends action against all responsible
The US$2.5 million loss incurred during Sri Lanka’s foreign debt repayment to Australia was a clear case of a cybercrime and theft, Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva told Parliament yesterday.
Presenting the COPF final report on the cyber fraud, Dr. de Silva said the incident amounted to a serious financial crime and called for a comprehensive investigation, by law enforcement authorities, to identify and prosecute all those responsible.
The report revealed serious governance, procedural and operational failures that enabled the fraudulent transfer of public funds, while recommending sweeping reforms to strengthen cybersecurity, financial controls and public debt management systems.
According to the report, officials of the Treasury and the Central Bank bore responsibility for governance lapses that contributed to the failures. It also highlighted the fact that the Ministry of Finance was operating an outdated Microsoft Exchange Server after security support had ended, while basic safeguards, such as multi-factor authentication, had not been implemented.
The COPF said suspicious payment instructions linked to debt repayments involving India, the United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium had also been detected, preventing further losses. However, the US$ 2.5 million fraud materialised only in the repayment transaction involving Australia.
The report has noted that officials had failed to verify lender email domains, relied on unverified email communications and lacked adequate internal controls, allowing the fraud to continue for months.
Although the investigation uncovered system-wide weaknesses across several institutions, only four mid-level Finance Ministry officials had been suspended so far, the report said.
The COPF has recommended a special audit of the foreign debt repayment process, strengthened cybersecurity measures across state institutions, updated financial regulations and improvements to public debt management systems.
by Saman Indrajith
News
Opposition signs no-confidence motion against Justice Minister for dereliction of duty over Negombo Prison deaths
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, together with Opposition MPs, yesterday signed a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) in Parliament against Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara.The move comes in response to the unrest at the Negombo Prison, where both prison officers and inmates were killed.
Opposition members said the Minister had failed to fulfill his responsibility and accountability regarding their safety.According to the Opposition group, the NCM seeks to hold the Minister directly accountable for lapses in ensuring protection within the prison system.
The Attorney General yesterday informed the Supreme Court that the government has decided to review the legality of agreements entered into by the previous administration to hand over the country’s electronic visa issuance operations to private companies.
Additional Solicitor General Viveka Siriwardena, appearing for the Attorney General, made the submission when the Supreme Court took up the fundamental rights petitions filed by former MPs President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran, Patali Champika Ranawaka, and Rauff Hakeem, challenging the previous Cabinet’s decision to outsource the e-visa system.
The petitions were heard before a three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Arjuna Obeyesekere.
The Additional Solicitor General informed court that the current Cabinet had appointed a subcommittee to examine the legality of the agreements with the private companies and requested time to report on its findings, stating that the review was still underway.
President’s Counsel Sumanthiran, appearing as one of the petitioners, told the court that although the present government had indicated its intention to cancel the transaction, the petitioners wished to proceed with the case.
He noted that members of the current Cabinet had been named as respondents in the petitions.The Supreme Court directed the petitioners to issue notice on the members of the current Cabinet, named as respondents, and fixed September 29 for further proceedings.
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Showers will occur in the Sabaragamuwa, Western and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
US$ 2.5 mn cyber heist exposes system failures
Opposition signs no-confidence motion against Justice Minister for dereliction of duty over Negombo Prison deaths
AG informs SC of e-visa agreement review
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