Ahimsa Wickrematunge, daughter of late Lasantha Wickrematunge, has condemned Attorney General (AG) Parinda Ranasinghe’s decision to discharge key suspects in her father’s assassination case.

In a letter dated 27 January 2025, now public, the Attorney General’s Department informed the Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) that legal proceedings would not continue against Army Intelligence Officer Premananda Udalagama, former Mt. Lavinia Crimes OIC SI Tissasiri Sugathapala, and former DIG Prasanna Nanayakkara.

Ms. Wickrematunge also welcomed the government’s expressed swift announcement that it will review the decision.

“I am also grateful to your government for its swift announcement that it will review the decision despite the political risks stemming from the NPP’s pledge to foster a criminal justice system independent of political interference,” she said.

“I could not be more grateful to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for his ceaseless attempts to hold the Attorney General to account. However, it should not be the job of the head of state to brandish a fire extinguisher and chase behind an Attorney General who is running around with a box of matches. The Attorney General is responsible to Parliament. The only way to fulfill the government’s pledge to repair the justice system is to impeach him before Parliament and seek his removal from office,” she added.

The full letter of Ahimsa Wickrematunge is as follows :

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has recalled the arrest warrant issued against former State Minister Diana Gamage who has been charged with the violation of immigration and emigration laws.

This order was issued after Gamage appeared before the court through a motion.

Earlier today (Feb. 06), Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali issued the warrant after Gamage initially failed to appear before court during the trial related to alleged violation of immigration and emigration laws.

(source : adaderana.lk)

A Fundamental Rights petition filed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa challenging the government’s decision to reduce his security detail without a proper security assessment was today (Feb. 06) fixed for support on March 19 by the Supreme Court.

The petition has been filed, naming Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, the Cabinet of Ministers and several others as respondents.

This petition was taken up before a three-member Supreme Court judge bench comprising Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Janak de Silva and Sampath Abeykoon today (Feb. 06).
The former President stated that the government has taken an arbitrary decision to reduce his security detail to 60 officers without any proper security assessment.