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BASL writes to President on next IGP

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It is of “utmost importance” that the next Inspector General of Police of Sri Lanka “should be an officer whose service in the police force is exemplary and free of any blemish and able to restore public confidence in the Sri Lanka Police,” stated the Bar Association of Sri Lanka in a letter addressed to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The BASL letter has been issued in response to news that the office of the IGP is due to fall vacant on the 23rd of March, 2023.
“During the last few decades there has been a serious erosion of public confidence in the Sri Lanka Police. The lack of independence, politicisation, police brutality, custodial deaths, lack of professionalism have all contributed to the erosion of public confidence in the Police. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is of the view that public confidence in the Police is vital for the administration of justice and the rule of law,” the BASL writes.

Citing the case of Mohammed Rashid Fathima Sharmila v K.W.G. Nishantha and others SCFR 398/2008- S.C.M. 03.02.2023, the BASL stated that the Supreme Court observed that the police have lost the credibility it ought to have:

“It only highlights the utterly unprofessional approach to duty by the personnel who man it and as a consequence, people are increasingly losing trust in the police. It had lost the credibility it ought to enjoy as a law enforcement agency. The incident relevant to this application had taken place in 2008, however, this court observes that instances of death of suspects in police custody are continuing to happen, even today.” (Aluwihare J)

The BASL urged that no officer who has pending Fundamental Rights or criminal cases against him or any allegations of involvement in unlawful activity be appointed to the office of the IGP.

The BASL letter concludes by urging the President “that the appointment of the Inspector General of Police (and all other appointments to key offices) be done in a transparent manner so as to establish public confidence in the appointment process.”

The full letter of the BASL is as follows : 

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Assets of 02 police officers to be probed

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Assets of two prominent police officers are to be probed after authorities received a number of complaints, highly placed sources in the government say.

One officer in question is a DIG while the other is a SSP, reports add.

The Police Illegal Assets And Property Investigation Division are conducting further investigations.

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AG seeks CID probe into social media smear campaign against his staff

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The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has opened a probe following a complaint by Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe that his staff have been unduly targeted by false allegations on social media.

The AG’s instruction to the CID came after several of his staff complained to him over the allegation on social media.

Particularly targeted are senior AG’s Department officials awaiting promotions, sources said.

In one of the posts, a senior officer was accused of being supportive of granting bail to Thamil Makkal Viduthal Puligal (TMVP) leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillaiyan, when his fundamental rights application over his arrest was taken up. During the hearing of the FR case, the matter of bail was not even considered, the sources said.

Another allegation was that in a case related to the suspended Police Chief Deshabandu Tennakoon, the AG prevented a senior officer from representing the department and instead sent a junior officer. However, on the particular day, the senior officer was indisposed, the sources said.

These allegations surface as the AG’s Department has filed more than 600 new indictments in High Courts so far this year, while the Bribery Commission has also referred several bribery and corruption cases to the AG for prosecution.

(sundaytimes.lk)
(This story, originally published by sundaytimes.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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19-yr. old dies after falling from elevator

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A 19-year-old youth has died after falling from a service elevator at a hotel in the Pannai area, in the Jaffna Police Division.

According to the police, the incident had occurred last night (June 21) and the deceased has been identified as a resident of Nirveli, Jaffna.

According to investigations, the youth was employed at the hotel and had been using the service elevator -intended for transporting goods.

Further investigations are underway.

This incident follows a similar case recently reported from a hotel in Moratuwa last week.

Related News :

19-yr.-old dies after hotel elevator collapses

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