Impunity with Police must end

Sri Lanka’s Police force has long been plagued by allegations of corruption, abuse of power, and a blatant disregard for the rule of law. The recent arrest of Deshabandu Thennakoon, the suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP), after weeks of absconding, marks an incredibly rare moment in history where one of the highest-ranking Police officers is being held accountable for his actions. There is a long way to go in the legal and judicial process against Thennakoon but this rare instance of accountability is an opportunity to highlight the systemic rot that has long existed within the Police Department.

Thennakoon, who was deeply embedded in the political machinery, stands accused of running a private “goon squad” composed of police officers. One of the more chilling incidents linked to Thennakoon’s alleged operations resulted in a deadly shootout, with one of his own officers, a member of his illicit unit, losing his life. The fact that such criminal activity could occur under the very institution meant to uphold justice speaks volumes about the depth of corruption within the force. 

Unfortunately, Thennakoon’s case is far from an isolated one. The culture of impunity within the police force stretches back decades. Take, for instance, the case of DIG Ravi Waidyalankara, head of the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) during the Yahapalana regime. Waidyalankara, who was entrusted with investigating financial crimes, is accused of extorting millions of rupees from individuals accused of corruption. His actions highlight the Police role not as protectors of the law, but as perpetrators of criminality. To this date, he is to be held accountable for his actions, which contributed significantly to the reversals in democracy and trust in public institutions resulting in an alleged war criminal being hoisted to the highest office in the land in 2019.

Similarly, Senior DIG Anura Senanayake, who rose to prominence under the Rajapaksa regime, has long been criticised for his role as the “cleaner” for political elites, involved in covering up numerous high-profile crimes including the murder of rugby player Wasim Thajudeen and the assault of journalist Keith Noyahr.

The list of high-ranking officers involved in such criminal acts goes on and on, and the sheer frequency of these incidents reveals a terrifying truth: impunity has become the norm, rather than the exception, in the police force. The police, once an institution meant to safeguard the public and uphold the law, has instead become a den of corruption, working in cahoots with politicians and the underworld.

What this culture of impunity results in is not just individual tragedies, but a deep erosion of public trust. Citizens who turn to the police for protection and justice are often met with further violence, exploitation, or neglect. The feeling of fear, rather than safety, is something that many Sri Lankans face when encountering the police—an institution that has lost its way. The extrajudicial and summary executions that are continuously carried out by the police, even under the current administration further erodes the credibility and trust in the police. At least three individuals have died in police custody since the current administration ascended into power, at least two of them in Kotahena are prima facie summary executions in the guide of detainees ‘showing weapons’.

For the police to regain the public’s trust and fulfil their core mandate, there needs to be a thorough and honest cleansing of the institution. The Thennakoon case should not be viewed as a singular event but rather as a wake-up call for the entire system. The culture of corruption, brutality, and political patronage within the police force needs to be dismantled.