By- Shantha wijesooriya

Deputy Solicitor general Disna Warnakula on behalf of the the attorney general stated in writing to the Balapitiya Magistrate, OIC Ahungalle and Senior Superintendent of Police Elpitiya in chaarge of Galle, that the attorney general department has no intention to take further legal action against anybody for the muder of Katuwanagama Acharige Mahesh Indika Prabath’s murder as there is no sufficient evidence and facts disclosed. 

Indika Prabath was arrested on 12 October night in Kottegoda ans was taken to Ahungalla citing to show his weapons and shot and killed. The case related to the incident was heard in the Balapitiya Court under AR 2049/22 and on July 9, 2024, Balapitiya Magistrate R. D. Janaka stated that according to the evidence and the medical report, it has been confirmed that the death was not a self-defence shooting but a deliberate shooting to death. The magistrate ordered the senior superintendent of the Police Elpitiya to arrest and produce the STF police inspector Don Laxman Amaratunga Colomboge, who shot the deceased.

The elite class dominance of the Sri Lankan law leaked out when the deputy solicitor general said on behalf of the AG that criminal charges cannot be filed against any person in relation to Indika Prabhat’s murder incident, because the evidence and facts have not been revealed following the Balapitiya Magistrate questioned the evidence for almost two years and after taking the medical report into consideration. 

Recently, when the National Security Committee met,  President Anura Dissanayake said that 17 criminal charges and human rights abuse cases were filed against the Special Task Forces and the security chiefs urged him to withdraw those cases. Later, the President instructed the Attorney General to look into the matter and take action

Since the Attorney General has decided not to take legal action regarding the case, the additional Solicitor General has told the Balapitiya Magistrate to withdraw the case. 11 inmates were killed and 111 inmates were injured in the clash between inmates and prison officials in Mahara Prison. As there is a reasonable doubt that these 11 deaths are crimes, the Welisara Magistrate ordered the Criminal Investigation Department to arrest all the suspects involved and bring them to court according to the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code. Later that case too was also closed by the Attorney General.

17 cases of killings and human rights violations by the Police Special Task Force have been filed against STF and it has not been revealed whether the Attorney General has already taken steps to close the cases. 

President Anura Dissanayake using executive powers to decide what cases should and should not be investigated shows the characteristics of a dictator and under the guise of protecting the so-called war heroes, Dissanayake is paving the way for a military-police dictatorship. The National People’s Front is a movement with complete faith in retired police and military officers who are hostile to the working-oppressed masses.

Translated by azgar