Justice system: bowed and afraid

Today marks the 15th anniversary since the assassination of Lasantha Wickrematunge, the Editor of The Sunday Leader. Each January, as former colleagues and family commemorate the anniversary of his brutal murder, it also reminds Sri Lanka of the impunity and the systemic failure of the Sri Lankan State to find and prosecute his killers and hold to account those who seek to silence the free press through violence and bloodshed. The politicians who gathered at Lasantha’s grave have also changed during this time other than for a few personal friends. Those who used Lasantha’s murder to gain power have done very little to deliver justice for the crime.

With the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) taking over the investigation into the killing of Lasantha in 2015 certain facts came to light about how shadowy sections of the security establishment were involved in the murders, assaults, and abductions of journalists. A team of Special Forces trained intelligence officers stationed at the Tripoli army base were particularly involved in the killing of Wickrematunge, the abduction of journalist Keith Noyahr and the assault on Editor Upali Tennekoon. At least two other persons, innocent Tamils from Vavuniya were murdered to cover-up Wickrematunge’s murder and muddy the waters and cast blame elsewhere. The Inspector General of Police who orchestrated this cover up was appointed as a Commissioner to the Office on Missing Persons by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The killing of Lasantha is widely believed to be linked to the corrupt ‘MiG Deal’ he was about to expose. Then defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his cousin Udayanga Weeratunga were accused in this scandal in which second-hand MiG 27 aircraft were purchased with Government money being transferred to a secret bank account in the name of Bellimissa in the British Virgin Islands. The account was opened in 2006 just before the deal. When the MiG deal fell into media spotlight in December 2006, it was highlighted as a government-government transaction, but later investigations revealed that the payment was made to a mysterious third party, Bellimissa Holdings, UK which was a ghost company that did not exist in any form.

The two key policemen who were investigating the Wickrematunge murder were hounded by Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Government soon after the Presidential election in 2019. Director of the CID, Shani Abeysekera was incarcerated for over 11 months over trumped up charges and the Inspector of Police Nishantha Silva had to flee the country in fear of his life. The latter has since testified at an international “people’s trial” in which he has given details clearly linking Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the murder of Lasantha and many other incidents of violence against senior journalists. Neither of these police officers have been compensated for the suffering they had to endure for doing their jobs.

The political machinations and deal making have ensured that Lasantha and his family are denied justice even after 15 years since his murder. A current presidential adviser while he was Minister of Law and Order in the Yahapalana regime compromised the investigations by the CID, even going as far as leaking sensitive information to Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s personal lawyer. Both these individuals are now integral parts of the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration. Current justice minister also once vowed not to allow Rajapaksa ever to be prosecuted for his crimes, including the killing of Lasantha.

Despite the changes in Government and individuals at the political leadership, it is abundantly clear that there will be no justice delivered within Sri Lanka for Lasantha or many others who have faced the same fate. Until there is justice for Lasantha those who killed him and those who continue to shield his killers should not be allowed to forget their crimes nor allowed to rest.