Thursday Feb 06, 2025
Thursday Feb 06, 2025
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Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa
By Charumini de Silva
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Journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge
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The Government yesterday announced that it is reviewing the Attorney General’s (AG) recommendation regarding the release of three suspects in the assassination of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge.
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated the Government will issue an official statement after thoroughly studying the AG’s recommendation.
“The Government has no intention of sweeping this under the carpet,” he said in response to queries raised at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.
He assured that the matter will be reviewed carefully and will not set the guilty free. “We will do justice to the citizens of this country and will not dishonour the people’s mandate,” he said, recalling that the party was calling for justice on this and many other similar cases.
Dr. Jayatissa said no decision was taken regarding the AG on whether to suspend or call for explanation, reiterating that the Government will announce its stance via an official statement after evaluating the AG’s decision.
On 27 January, AG Parinda Ranasinghe informed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) that legal action would not proceed against former Army Intelligence Officer Premananda Udalagama, former Mt. Lavinia Crimes OIC SI Tissasiri Sugathapala, and former DIG Prasanna Nanayakkara.
Following this decision by the AG to drop legal proceedings against these three suspects, it has drawn strong criticism from media and civil rights activists, who argue that it may be an attempt to protect those responsible for the assassination.
In response to questions from journalists about delays in other high-profile cases, Jayatissa denied Government interference, attributing the delays to technical difficulties in investigations rather than any political influence.
