News

JVP challenges Yoshitha to go to court

Published

4 years ago

2022/05/8

The JVP says that they are ready to face any defamation case by Yoshitha Rajapaksa if the latter moves court challenging the party’s latest revelations on his alleged deals and excesses.

Former JVP MP and Kalutara District MP, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said on Friday that it was open to Yoshitha to go before the courts as the latter has recently challenged JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s expose of a number of corruption files with evidence to prove corrupt deals of abuse of power by many including Yoshitha.

“There can be two types of legal action that can be pursued following such exposures according to our lawyers. One is for the government to file a case against Yoshitha to recover misappropriated funds. The other is for him to sue us for alleged defamation. In a defamation case, we will have the opportunity of cross-examining him,” Jayatissa said.

He said that his party hoped that Yoshitha would be able to enlighten the court and the nation on matters including methods used to enroll in the Navy’s Executive Branch in 2006 without required educational qualifications.

“An applicant for that position was required to have a minimum six passes at a single sitting of the GCE Ordinary Level Examination plus at least two passes at GCE Advanced Level Examination. Yoshitha has sat twice for the OL exam and it is not certain that taken together the results of both attempts would have given him six passes.

“Then Yoshitha would also get the opportunity to tell us and the court how he secured a position in Royal Naval College in Dartmouth – a position usually given to the best in the batch of Navy officers completing their training.

“Thereafter he also secured a position to study in a Ukrainian University so he would explain that too, to the court. Later he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander of the Navy. Yoshitha will be asked to explain how he climbed up the ranks.

“He has been awarded various medals including Long Service Medal, Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal, East Operations Medal, Purna Bhoomi Padakkama and Fast Attack Craft Squadron Pin.

“He would be able to explain how he was entitled to them and most of all he will be asked to explain to the court how he got out of the Navy. We have some more questions. I think Yoshitha would be able to respond to the satisfaction of the court,” Dr Jayatissa said.

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Ranawaka accuses govt. of using JVP cadres and police to suppress political opponents

Published

3 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

… reminds AKD led over 560 protests during Yahapalanaya

Former Yahapalana Minister and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday (19) alleged that the JVP, which carried out over 560 protests during the 2015-2019 period, was now bent on preventing the Opposition from exercising its democratic right to protest.

Recalling the declaration made by the JVP at the height of the violent protest campaign in July 2022 that it would set the Parliament ablaze, the former parliamentarian lashed out at the JVP-led administration for using the police excessively to curb political opposition. Ranawaka said this while addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Flower Road Office .

Commenting on the protest campaign launched by the Maha Sangha, demanding presidential pardon for General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Ven. Galagotaatte Gnanasara, the ex-Colombo District lawmaker alleged that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake used a combination of police, investigative units and JVP cadres to break up the monks’ protest. The government went to the extent of compelling the JVP/NPP-run Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) to deprive the peaceful protesters of basic toilet facilities, he alleged.

The government’s actions proved that only those with prior approval from JVP Pelawatte headquarters could launch protests in Colombo, its suburbs or in the provinces. The police have become a political tool in the hands of the JVP, the ex-Minister said. (SF)

News

Six killed as speeding bulker crashes into vehicles, shop in Akurana

Published

3 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

By SK Samaranayake

Six people were killed and seven others injured when a speeding bulker lorry carrying cement and concrete ploughed into several vehicles and a shop on the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road at Kurugoda, Akurana, yesterday (19).

Four of the victims, two women and two men, died on the spot in the accident which occurred around 10.30 am, according to Alawathugoda Police.

Police said the bulker, travelling at high speed from the Matale direction, collided with three three-wheelers, two motorcycles and two lorries before veering off the road and crashing into a commercial establishment.

Five of the injured were rushed to the National Hospital of Kandy, where hospital sources said two remained in critical condition.

The bodies of the four victims were placed at the Akurana Hospital, where two others, who suffered minor injuries, were also receiving treatment.

The driver of the bulker was arrested by the Alawathugoda Police Traffic Division and is to be produced before court.

Investigations are being conducted under the supervision of Central Province Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake.

News

Prof. Peiris, summoned by CIABOC, appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release

Published

3 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

G.L. Peiris

By Shamindra Ferdinando

owledging that there had been an administrative lapse on the part of the President’s Office in 2019 when Maithripala Sirisena granted presidential pardon to Ven. Gnanasara Thera, Convener of Janathawadi Joint Opposition Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (19) urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to rectify whatever those shortcomings and release the General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena.

Addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickrekmesinghe’s Flower Road Office, Prof. Peiris emphasized that it was not fair to hold Ven. Gnanasara accountable for lapse or technical fault of others at the Presidential Secretariat during President Sirisena’s tenure.

Prof. Peiris was flanked by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The fresh appeal was made on behalf of Ven. Gnanasara in the wake of President Dissanayake and JVP heavyweight Anura Kumara Dissanayake ruling out fresh presidential pardon for the monk. Minister Lal Kantha declared that the government couldn’t under any circumstances meet the continuing monks’ protest demanding Ven. Gnanasara’s release. President Dissanayake dismissed repeated appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release when he addressed the NPP really in Badulla.

Sirisena granted presidential pardon in May 2019 even before he completed a year of his six-year term of rigorous imprisonment for contempt of court during proceedings of the media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda’s 2010 January disappearance in the Homagama Magistrate’s court.

At the onset of the regular weekly briefing, Prof. Peiris said that he would report to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (20) morning as requested by the commission. “The CIABOC wanted to record my statement regarding a meeting I chaired at the ministry after the conclusion of the war in 2009 pertaining to an ongoing investigation.”

Commenting further on the imprisonment of Ven. Gnanasara, the former parliamentarian said that President Sirisena intervened following a spate of requests made on behalf of BBS General Secretary by the Mahanayakes, Anunayakes and other Maha Sangha.

The Supreme Court on 10 September, 2026 rescinded the presidential pardon granted in late May 2019.