News

Committee of Inquiry finds suspended Deshabandu guilty

Published

1 year ago

2025/07/23

Deshabandhu

Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne informed Parliament yesterday that the report of the Committee of Inquiry, probing allegations of gross abuse of power against suspended IGP Deshabandhu Tennakoon, has found him guilty of all charges and has recommended his removal.

The following is the statement made by the Speaker while presenting to Parliament the report of the investigative committee:

“Today, I wish to bring to the attention of this august Assembly a matter of profound constitutional and institutional significance.

“As you are aware, under the provisions of the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act, No. 5 of 2002, a Committee of Inquiry was appointed to investigate and report on the grounds for the removal of the current Inspector General of Police (IGP).

“I have now received the formal findings of the Committee, duly constituted in accordance with the Act. In this connection, I wish to place on record our

sincere gratitude and appreciation to the distinguished Members of the Committee for their diligence, integrity, and commitment to the rule of law: “Justice Padman Surasena, Judge of the Supreme Court – Chairman

Justice Neil Iddawala, Judge of the Court of Appeal – Member

Lalith Ekanayake, Chairman, National Police Commission – Member

“This Committee, having conducted its inquiries, has unanimously found the officer in question guilty of the allegations brought against him, in accordance with Section 8(2) of the Act.

“This marks a historic moment in our constitutional journey – the first time in the history of the Republic of Sri Lanka that such a committee has submitted its findings recommending the removal of an Inspector General of Police under the provisions of the law enacted by Parliament.

“As mandated under Section 17 of the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act, I am obliged – and hereby undertake – to place the finding of guilt in the form of a resolution in the Order Paper of Parliament for the consideration and vote of this House.

“Further, for the information of Members and in the interest of transparency and public accountability, I have directed the Secretary General of Parliament, to table the Committee’s Report as a Parliamentary Paper, and arrangements will be made for Members to receive copies in all three official languages in due course. I also intend to authorize its release to the general public, mindful of the public interest and the fundamental importance of upholding the trust reposed in institutions.

“This Parliament, representing the sovereign will of the people, now bears the solemn responsibility of considering the resolution to give effect to the Committee’s findings. The House shall be notified in due course of the scheduled date for debate and vote.

“Let me reiterate that in executing this duty, we uphold the values of constitutional governance, institutional accountability, and the supremacy of the law – principles that are foundational to a functioning democracy.

“I urge Members to approach the forthcoming proceedings with the dignity, objectivity, and responsibility they demand.

Accordingly, I table the report of the said committee of inquiry only in English language with the special leave of the House and the soft copy of the Report in English language will be uploaded to the Parliament website for easy reference.

“The Leader of the House of Parliament: To move “that the report be printed in all three languages after having obtained the Sinhala and Tamil translations.”

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

1 hour ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

2 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

2 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.