Against President Maithripala Sirisena’s wishes, Army Intelligence Officer Premananda Udalagama was further remanded yesterday by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate. He has been remanded till October 28, over his alleged involvement in the killing of Sunday Leader Founding Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge.
Lasantha Wickrematunge
In July, the CID arrested Udalagama in connection to the Wickrematunge murder. The Army Intelligence Officer was also identified as the person who abducted Dias, the slain editor’s driver.
Udalagama was also identified as the person who attacked Rivira Newspaper editor Upali Tennakoon, and his wife in 2009 in Gampaha, a few weeks after Wickrematunge’s murder.
Late last month, Wickrematunge’s remains were exhumed following a court order after the CID informed the court that there were inconsistencies in the autopsy report issued by the then JMO. The new autopsy report is expected to be released this month. Wickrematunge was assassinated while on his way to work in January 2009.
Speaking at an event on Wednesday at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Sirisena accused authorities of holding military intelligence officers in remand custody for over 10 months without charging them.
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As Sirisena Becomes Savior Of Army Intelligence Officers, Sandya Ekneligoda Demands For Justice
Amarasiri / October 14, 2016
RE: Against Sirisena’s Wishes Army Intelligence Officer Further Remanded Over Lasantha Killing
Gon Gamarala Sirisena has gone Mad.
He, Gon Gamarala, does not even know where his balls are hanging from.
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Paddy / October 14, 2016
The last para … what journalism is this. “Sirisena accused lawyers of holding…”. Show some respect to the President of the country when writing about him. If you had dared do this to MR, you would have ended up like Lasantha and others.
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Lloyd / October 14, 2016
Respect is not something that is bought, it is something that is earned. Being President does not mean you will get respect. Seeing the current events that are happening in this country, I don’t think he deserves any. Asslickers like you, Paddy, are why this country will never move forward.
If the article is not acceptable to you, THEN DON’T READ IT. There are other people who enjoying reading this.
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Concerned / October 14, 2016
Sirisene has lost all my support, respect and trust !
What a shame, we put our neck out to bring this disgraceful man to power !!
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Real Peace / October 14, 2016
This underlines the importance of participation of foreign judges in any war crime trials. By openly criticising the judiciary for investigating the military personnel and defend in them the President has demonstrated to the whole world that the SL judges cannot function independently.
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Funlover / October 14, 2016
Gosh, Amare, seems you too are heading for Angoda (like the rest of us readers)!!
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jim softy / October 14, 2016
In Sinhale, Military and Monks are criminals, 12000 + 200 Suicide bombers and black tigers are innocents.
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Nayakka Pandaram / October 14, 2016
Jim Softy
“In Sinhale, Military and Monks are criminals” – You are absolutely Correct you read the History well
“12000 + 200 Suicide bombers and black tigers are innocents” – you have got liquidized brain not just softy
Sinhale = Burumoole!
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Ansar / October 14, 2016
Bravo Magistrate, keep up the good work.
Let the President or PM do their job as politicians, true to their selfish interest.
At least you do the service for the sake of the grieving families.
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Good Governance / October 14, 2016
It is clear that Lasantha Wickramatunge was murdered because he did not tore the line with those who had power at that time. Murder for what ever reason is not acceptable and in most countries attract the highest punishment possible.
But politics has been mixed into the whole episode. When Ranil was in opposition he accused the then Army Commander Sarath Fonseka as the culprit. But now he is fit enough to be a minister in the same Government of Good Governance under Ranil. Are we to understand that Ranil made a mistake then? Must then we be mature enough to understand that in politics there are no permanent friends or permanent foes but permanent interests and for that purpose partnering with any scoundrel for the purpose is OK like the dirt of the last government pallied with Duminda Silva, now a convicted murderer? I think standards of Good Governance should be much better than the common understanding of politics. In countries where standards are maintained whether Government MPs or even Opposition MPs had to go home for immoral behaviour (Adultery). A sitting speaker went home in that country for admitted adultery. It is incidental that our first Speaker of independent Ceylon was in prison as a result of he being a co-respondent in a divorce case. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. That country which was a swamp is a first world oasis now in a third world desert.
The whole issue is these investigations are taking a pretty long time. It is true that one needs to bring in solid evidence. For that purpose you don’t keep people in remand for ages. You remand a suspect say for two rounds (Two weeks +Two weeks) and then charge the man. In the first place you arrest the man after securing considerable evidence against him. Now this delay is turning into a different dimension. For political reasons and possibly for personal reasons (Daham issue) Maithree is now singing a song which we never heard him singing before and it is possible to sing such song because of procedural lapses. Leave alone intellignece officers, former top police brass are also remanded and for how long? There can’t be a perpetual remand. If one is arrested and remanded perhaps you should have a definite frame either to charge him or discharge him. That is fundamental. It is alleged that DG of bribery charges people in court without securing the approval of the Commissioners. Was it a purposeful ommission that ultimately allows the accused to walk away? But that ommission is enough for Maithree in a different mood to change the DG of bribery.
Clearly this dragging of feet and using incorrect procedures are causing a lot of distress among all parties, both the victims relatives as well as those accused.
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Non PhD / October 14, 2016
Blood is thicker than the water. Any contemporary examples of that in the SriLankan politics ? Yes , first Rajapaksas’families and now Srisena’s. MS like MaRa wants judiciary controlled by the President.
MS – Gotha bond is getting stronger at the expense of poor ordinary citizens. Very frightening future ahead for SL.
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Jurisprudence / October 14, 2016
Let’s hope Sirisena has the intelligence to let the Judiciary do its work and use what remains of his good sense to replace his partisan Minister of Justice instead of interfering with the Law.
This must also apply to his dimwit son who is helping to further tarnish his already blemished image.
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Lone Wolf / October 14, 2016
Mount Lavinia Magistrate,
Thank you for doing your duty and following the law. Please try to avoid any interference from politicians. Your decision is a sign that things might be becoming better.
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Unreal / October 14, 2016
Your decision is a sign that things might be becoming better.
Don’t you think that he (and not you) is truly the Lone Wolf!
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Lone Wolf / October 14, 2016
President Sirisena,
“Sirisena accused authorities of holding military intelligence officers in remand custody for over 10 months without charging them.”
Please remember that we voted for change. Change includes investigating and hopefully sentencing members of the security forces, government supporters, high government servants and even your son. No exceptions!
You are not supposed to interfere in the work of police and courts.
Accused are often remanded for years and this is a general problem in Sri Lanka not only a problem for some members of the security forces or the Tamil political prisoners.
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Commoner / October 14, 2016
“Speaking at an event on Wednesday at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Sirisena accused authorities of holding military intelligence officers in remand custody for over 10 months without charging them”.
Some comments:
Surely there are many others who have been in Remand for over 10 months without being charged. Why this special plea for military intelligence officers?
A President should not interfere with the Judiciary.
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SF / October 14, 2016
Who is this bloody traitor LW?????????????? Bloody LTTE ass licker
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vetmahadeva / October 14, 2016
[Edited out]
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Vaachalaya / October 14, 2016
Well Done Mount Lavinia Magistrate Bravo.
Do not take orders from Politicians do your duty fearlessly and uphold the Independence of the Judiciary.
The bugger scoundrel Gihan Pilapitiya is still taking orders from from the former Regime.
MY3 your times up we know your secret game plan.
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Namal / October 14, 2016
Where was Daham Sirisena when Lasantha was killed? Maithree should answer this but not compulsary.
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Chedi / October 14, 2016
sirisena should never forget what would have happened to him if he lost the election. A very immature statement from a “statesman”.Like somebody too said would have been appropriate if he also commented or comments on the many thousands of people languishing in remand or out on bail due to postponements that span 5-10 years and more.
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Lanka Watch / October 14, 2016
It was alleged that there was a coup planned to oust democratically elected Govt. on 08th Jan 2015 as per statement issued to the media
by Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, while the democratically elected President was hiding on the hills for fear of his life.
Once the new Govt. was formed, the culprits were ‘shitting’ in their
pants for fear of jail terms but PM Ranil came to their rescue. After two years this govt. is in power, the very same wrong doers are on the streets, doing what they were doing in the past and even take part in politics against the Govt. Billions of dollars of public money were squandered and they roam the whole world with no one questioning them as if nothing had happened. It appears that FCID may be closed soon under some pretext and hoodlums released. Just imagine the state of the country when two sets of hoodlums join hands and run the country with a puppet govt. in power.
It appears that the President is playing a ‘Mandala’ card and there
is a possibility that a Presidential pardon may be forthcoming. This
is in preparation to get the Nobel Peace Prize. One cannot understand his fear for the military, by interfering in their favour in the cases they are indicted for various war crimes and political murders, and on the other hand,the perpetration of crimes committed against humanity
during the war, were against the minority community, which is of not much interest to them and the govt. has cornered TNA nicely with false promises and got them not to utter anything against the govt.The only opposition could be from Mr. Wiggy CM,NCP and it appears he has been silenced after the ‘Tamils rise’ event.
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K.Balendra / October 14, 2016
President is worried about army officers kept in prison for 10 months without charges. But what about the Tamil boys kept in prison without any charges for over 10 years,
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