… fugitive secures political asylum in Switzerland

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Former CID Inspector Nishantha Silva, who fled the country after Gotabaya Rajapaksa became President, had conducted most of his investigations to please certain NGOs that were affiliated to the LTTE, former President Maithripala Sirisena said on Wednesday night, testifying before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.  

Silva has obtained political asylum in Switzerland, the former President said.

The Additional Solicitor General (ASG), who led evidence, asked Sirisena if he had instructed former IGP Pujith Jayasundar, at a National Security Council (NSC) meeting, to transfer Silva.

Sirisena said he had received several complaints about investigations initiated by Silva against Buddhist monks, military and intelligence officers.

Jayasundara had then sent a letter to the National Police Commission stating that the decision to transfer was ‘in accordance with instructions received at the National Security Council’. Sirisena said it shouldn’t have been revealed, and the former IGP had not been invited to the meetings of the NSC for that reason.

The ASG then asked why IP Silva, transferred to Negombo, had been called back to the CID soon after. Sirisena said that former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, various ministers and NGOs had strongly objected to his transfer. That had led to crippling issues in the Cabinet.

“Silva’s investigations were conducted at the behest of certain international organisations affiliated to the LTTE,” Sirisena added.