News
Easter carnage: Unmasking real culprits of will begin as prosecutions get underway – Johnston
The unmasking of the real culprits responsible for the Easter Sunday carnage would happen as the judicial process gets underway, Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said yesterday (7).
Addressing the media at his Ministry, Minister Fernando said that the judicial process would help identify the persons who had aided and abetted the terror attacks and also those who had shirked their duties.
“The Presidential Commission report has made recommendations. Once that process commences, the culpability of those who committed the crimes, as well as those who failed to prevent the terror strikes, will be known. Some Opposition politicians seem to think they can get away by picking holes in the Commission report. They are mistaken.”
The Minister said that the main task of the Cabinet sub-committee headed by former Speaker and Minister Chamal Rajapaksa was to study the findings and recommendations of the PCoI and to advice the government on the next course of action. “We studied the reports on the Easter Sunday attacks at length and have identified 78 recommendations. We thereafter submitted a report to the President outlining how those recommendations are to be implemented and which agencies are implementing them.
“When the PCoI completed its investigations the Opposition members demanded its report.
When it was released, the Opposition wanted it tabled in Parliament. Since then, they have been berating the Commission. These vociferous leaders now in the Opposition, were not seen when the country was in near anarchy soon after the terror attacks on Easter Sunday. It was Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith who came forward and appealed to the people against further violence and prevented another bloodbath in this country. The nation must be thankful to him for his brave action on that day. I do not think that they could just escape from their wrongdoing by changing their name from the UNP to SJB and shifting from the elephant symbol to the telephone symbol. They placed the country’s national security in jeopardy by making structural changes in the police to form special units and divisions such as the FCID to suppress their political rivals. They imprisoned intelligence operatives. There were five secretaries to the Ministry of Defence within a period of four years.
“The yahapalana government could investigate the April 21 terror attacks. They too appointed committees including a parliamentary select committee. What were their results? Instead of finding those responsible, that PSC brought before it the intelligence officials and made public information pertaining to national security further worsening the situation. Those now accusing the PCoI of failing to identify the masterminds of the attacks were in that PSC then. Why couldn’t they make such identifications? Did the yahapalana regime implement at least a single recommendation made by that PSC? Soon after receipt of this PCoI report the President presented it to the Cabinet and then to Parliament. A Cabinet sub-committee was appointed to make further suggestions on implementation of the PCoI recommendations. We have completed those tasks and now all is set for the judicial process which will unmask many wrongdoers and offenders responsible for the Easter Sunday carnage.”
The countrywide dengue outbreak has intensified, with the death toll rising to 50, by July 16, as the number of reported infections surpassed 73,000, according to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU).
The country has recorded 73,455 dengue cases so far this year, with the case fatality rate standing at 0.07 percent, highlighting the severity of the ongoing outbreak.
The Western Province continues to remain the worst affected region, accounting for more than half of the total cases, with 38,700 infections. The Gampaha District has recorded the highest number of cases in the province with 15,341, followed closely by Colombo with 14,625.
The Southern Province has reported 11,382 cases, while the Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces have each recorded more than 6,000 infections.
Dengue cases have shown a sharp increase in recent months, with June recording the highest monthly total of 21,538 cases, while July has already reported 18,076 infections. In comparison, 8,590 cases were reported in May, and 5,651 in April.
Health authorities have identified 175 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas as high-risk locations during the 27th epidemiological week. An average of 2,677 new dengue cases are being reported daily, prompting authorities to intensify prevention and mosquito control measures.
The Colombo High Court yesterday (17) resumed hearing the money laundering case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The proceedings were held before High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga, where evidence was recorded from prosecution witnesses, under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara.
President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, appearing for Yoshitha Rajapaksa, cross-examined the witnesses during the hearing.
After recording evidence, the court ordered that further examination of evidence be postponed until July 24.
The Attorney General has filed indictments, alleging that Yoshitha Rajapaksa committed an offence, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, by purchasing five plots of land in Dehiwala and Ratmalana, valued at more than Rs. 73 million.
Former IGP Chandana Deepal Wickramaratne died after sustaining a gunshot injury at his residence, in Thalangama, yesterday (17), with police saying preliminary investigations indicate that the incident was a suspected suicide.
Kaduwela Magistrate Aruna Indrajith Buddhadasa, on Friday, ordered the Officer-in-Charge of the Malabe Police Station, Police Inspector Pradeep Ranasinghe, to conduct a formal investigation into the death and submit a report to court on its progress.
The order was issued after the Malabe Police Station presented facts before court regarding the incident.
According to police, the Malabe Police Station received information from the Police Unit of the Colombo East Base Hospital, in Mulleriyawa, that Wickramaratne, who resided in the Thalahena area, within the Malabe Police division, had died after being admitted to hospital, with gunshot injuries.
Police Spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler said Wickramaratne had allegedly used the firearm of his personal security officer and shot himself at his residence.
Police said the shooting had taken place at his residence on Parakum Road, Thalangama, on Thursday morning, before he was due to leave for his regular exercise routine. He was rushed to the Colombo East Base Hospital, in Mulleriyawa, with serious injuries but was pronounced dead upon admission, police said.
The deceased’s remains were placed at the Colombo East Base Hospital, where a post-mortem examination was scheduled to be conducted.
ASP Wootler said three police teams have been appointed to investigate the incident. Further investigations are being conducted by the Crime Division of the Western Province South Range and the Malabe Police Station.
Wickramaratne, 63, served as the 35th Inspector General of Police of Sri Lanka from November 27, 2020, to November 23, 2023.
He joined the Sri Lanka Police in 1986 as a Probationary Assistant Superintendent of Police and later served in several senior positions.
A graduate of the University of Colombo and the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, he also served as Acting IGP for more than a year, from April 28, 2019, before being appointed IGP, in November 2020.
He retired from the post of Inspector General of Police, in November 2023.
by Norman Palihawadane ✍️
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