28 March, 2024

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Army Butcher Sunil Ratnayake Released Amidst Coronavirus Outbreak

Former staff sergeant of the Army Sunil Ratnayake was released from death row on a special presidential pardon today.

Ratnayake was sentenced to death over murder of of eight Tamil civilians including four children in Mirusuvil, Jaffna on 19th December 2000.

Sunil Ratnayake was sentenced to death on June 25, 2015 after a 13-year-trial.

on 24 Dec. 2000, some bodies were found in the septic tank of a toilet by the side of the army camp. The matter was then reported to the Chavakacheri Courts. When the judge inspected the scene, four youths under the age of 18 were discovered besides four men with decomposed bodies, throats slit and eyes blindfolded. Some had their legs and hands chopped off. One had his skin peeled, looking pink. Among the eight murder victims was five-year-old Visvarayan Prasath. Even the most hard-hearted could not fail to be moved by the sight.

Further to it, an inquiry was held at the Chavakacheri Magistrate’s Court and a report was sent to the Attorney General’s Department. The Attorney General filed action in the Jaffna High Court. A direct and important eye-witness was Ponniah Maheswaran, besides others. Staff Sergeant Ratnayake was given a death sentence. Appeal to the Supreme Court failed.

 

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  • 5
    31

    What is the evidence against this man? How was he convicted? What is the key evidence that proves he actually committed the crime?

    According to Prof. Hoole eye witnesses in Sri Lanka will say anything driven by communal passion. Therefore apart from eye witness testimonies I’m curious whether there is any other evidence that proves without doubt he actually committed this multiple murder.

    • 23
      4

      Then, you think these people committed suicide? You don’t believe Sri Lankan justice? Or you think Jaffna is not part of Sri Lanka? Think before making comments here. You guys did not learn any lesson after this war.

      • 12
        1

        Exactly! Then why do we’ve Dept. of Justice and Judges paid by public’s tax money!!

      • 3
        16

        Ponniah,

        It’s the losers who need to have a lessons learned session after licking their wounds. We are the WINNERS. There is no lesson for us to learn other than learning to finish the champagne bottle we already opened.

        • 2
          1

          Raginald shamel perera,
          Are you a true follower of Lord Jesus Christ? Keep away from Christian principles. You’re a killer

    • 12
      3

      You want evidence right ? Fine have you any evidence that you got what we call the brain, the two Cerbral Hemispheres enclosed in a hard skull with nerves neurons and all other attachments to it ? You only know that you were told by whoever it is that you have a brain but you have not seen your brain. It is the same theory you are seeking for evidence you are seeking the history of the crime but you will never get it because you sound like an idiot without a brain and a very little knowledge of criminology. It is best you shut your mouth and not expose you ignorance on matters that are too complicated to you.

    • 19
      2

      So you do not believe the judgement of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka? That is very serious indeed.

      • 11
        2

        A mass murderer was released into the Sinhalese village to continue to rape and kill the Sinhalese villagers. This killer was given death sentence by a court in Sri Lanka.

    • 0
      1

      You must be kidding!

    • 5
      0

      Noname nobrains

      He was unanimously found guilty by ALL the judges. So you fool you know more than the judges. So were you there at the time of the killings that took place? Are you then saying no such people died?

      So you are saying all these judges are corrupt? If so welcome to the Diaspora, and join them to have foreign judges.

    • 4
      19

      Tamils love extra judicial proceedings when someone else is at the receiving end of it.
      Don’t forget the witnesses received funding from the Tamil diaspora who were baying on this soldiers blood.

      A race that was famous for placing the OM symbol in exam papers so that people from their own race can become Doctors, Engineers at the expense of other will resort to anything for their race.

      Noname,

      Please do not call Sgt. Rathnayake a “man”. If you cannot address him as officer just call him soldier. We are not civilians to be called “man”, “dude” this and that nonsense.

      Once at a Sri Lankan day festival in Canada, some young Sinhalese monkey called me “Yo”. I grabbed the SoB by his collar and gave him a thundering slap. Then I gave his parents a telling off as well.

      We detest being called these civilian names.

      • 7
        0

        What a fool produced by the SL Army. Where is the professionalism and gentleness?

        • 1
          0

          He is a troll and not an army man..

      • 1
        0

        Lt you are right. Call him a SOB sired in a drain. Your comments very nicely on the SL Army

      • 3
        1

        Sgt. Reginald Shamal Perera, you accept that Sunil Ratnayake cannot be called a” man”.
        Then he must an animal. Sgt. Shamal Perera, I have never heard your name before. You must have been cleaning the toilets as batman in the Panagoda Army camp.

      • 1
        0

        Raginald, yes shouldn’t call as a man. You r vlsn must be called “Monsters” and human flesh mongers..so and so!

    • 5
      0

      Shows your ignorance & stupidity. Why don’t you ask the five judge panel of High Court Judges?. Are you more superior to them?. Another Gothaya’s pawn?.

    • 3
      0

      Noname !

      Who is your father? What is the proof you have got? DNA test? Publish it for us to accept!!

  • 10
    2

    Whilst I do not agree with the Death Penalty – I do agree that Sgt Ratnayake should remain jailed for life. His release is an early Sinhala New Year gift to a small but vociferous group of nationalists and others. Sgt Rathnayake abused all the tenets of his commission. He must pay for that. His appeal was rejected by a Court of Appeal.
    Now, the opportunity has risen for a political statement. President Gotabaya R has signalled affirmation that egregious and illegal actions of the ‘war’ years be forgiven. This is another nail in the coffin of reconciliation.

    • 6
      1

      The President certainly owes his voters an explanation on why he released Sunil Ratnayake. The Supreme Court must certainly be very disillusioned and sad at this humiliation. It seems that many despicable deeds are being planned and executed under the cover of the corona virus pandemic. I read today: “Udayanga Weeratunga, prime suspect of the notorious MIG Plane deal for allegedly defrauding Rs. 7.8 million, has been transferred from the Prison Hospital to a paid ward in the Colombo National Hospital. Weeratunga has been transferred to a paid ward in the National Hospital under the recommendation of a medical officer in the Prison Hospital, sources claimed.” I can bet my last rupee that the CID will not object to bail at the next “hearing”.

  • 11
    1

    Noname

    Is it now that you ask what is the evidence against this man? He was tried in the Jaffna courts, the Appeal court in colombo and the Supreme Court. You read this in the article. All these took place without evidence?

    This is the danger in presidents having the power to pardon criminals. The previous one was when Patholaya pardoned Royal Park murderer because he is connected to the Patholaya’s brother, and the Athana Methana Hithana Pathana Rathana pleaded on that murderer’s behalf.

    As to why Rathana chose this murderer out of 1000+ inmates need to be gone into when the AG’ appeal comes up.

  • 1
    0

    The terrible tragedy of this near 30 year conflict-on both sides murder & mayhem were committed-on first going to the Island in 1990, I felt inured from the ongoing horror-that was until the attack on the aircraft at Bandrinika Airport-many older SL citizens lay blame at the door of the outgojng Brits-even blaming variences in choice of first language to be used at pullout-what has this to do with this committed, now released alleged murderer, NOTHING!

  • 5
    1

    No name is trying to be the judge.
    He he ha

  • 0
    0

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  • 0
    6

    Is there an actual coroner’s report, released to the public, that verifies the claims made by the author, N. Lohathayalan? Only the coroner’s report can confirm the nature and extent of injuries. Otherwise, the injuries sound like typical LTTE propaganda. Another of Lothayalan’s articles featured on CT was called “Eluha Tamil – 3000 Turnout To Save Tamil Honour.”

  • 0
    1

    As I posted elsewhere in CT this case has many dimensions. One of the aspects is the public response. The audience in CT by and large is against the release of this fellow. But there were many out there who wanted the release. There are similarities in the public response of the accused in the My Lai massacre in Vietnam by the US Army personnel William Calley. He was convicted on evidence given by US Army personnel themselves. However, there were many out in US who called the life imprisonment (he could have been given the death sentence) handed over a harsh, including the future President Jimmy Carter and many other Governors of States. The result is that William Calley was released from prison after serving about 3 years in prison (Less than Sunil Ratnayake?). I don’t agree for this release but there was a public outcry beyond the domain of CT who wanted this release and that is a reality. Within the limit of 300 words I can cite a second dimension. There were the set of convicts for the Chemmani murder case. They are made to languish in prison and why release this guy? The impression that is given is this convict has done “great service to the country”. May I ask from those responsible what specific difference in service has this convict done to the country as against the murderers of Krishanthi Kumaraswamy and family? My understanding is that from the time of the complicity of this convict was alleged he was really not put in the “field” so to say. I am made aware of crooked investigations and trials too were launched against innovators in defeating the terrorism of the “Thalaiver”. It is incorrect too to label a butcher as “Ranaviru” to make him a hero.

  • 1
    2

    While he may be a butcher (I can never recall CT calling V. Prabakran a butcher) to CT and their ilk. He is a hero to a very large section of the population. President has exercised the powers vested in him. Can continue to whinge but the cavalry continues.

    • 1
      1

      Of course, he is a War Hero cause he murdered 8 civilians including a 5-year-old. What a shame !!

  • 3
    0

    A good timing to release this murderer as he could be used for many activities during the upcoming elections. This is called democrazy in Sri Lanka. The law depends on the individual.

  • 1
    0

    What’s the whole requirement for this ?. With all the public attention now focused to COVID-19, the president Gotabhaya Rajapakshe (may be with the advice/recommendation/persuasion from some others too) had released him overturning the verdict given by court after years of trial…. I’m not sure whether he DID the crime, because I could not witness it, nor had been part of the subsequent court proceedings on the matter. But, I believe, the court had conducted a fair trial on this, and had presented its verdict on the matter. This is no better than the previous president’s decision to release that gruesome royal-park murderer during his last week in office. Had this come as part of a presidential pardon after having analyzed the entire list on the death row or the life-long imprisonment, this could have been at least a bit more,*mind you at least a bit more*, justifiable, but this seems to be a case of nothing but arbitrary choice and discrimination, hence questioning even the principles of equality & justice. With all due respect, this guy still deserved at least, *mind you at least*, another couple of decades in prison. Even the persons found in the possession of only a few milligrams of drugs would be handed over the imprisonment for life, so how anyone can justify a disgruntled monster like this. Being a solder, or whoever for that matter irrespective of the hierarchy he/she sits in, should NOT qualify one for this kind of a gruesome act. This is a very irresponsible and lunatic act on the part of president whom’d definitely happen to lose respect if he’s to take the decisions in this manner, nothing but misuse of power to say the least. Allowing this guy to escape in this way sets forth a clearly bad example for others to follow, that is the sinister reality here.

  • 2
    0

    Hail Hitler.

  • 0
    1

    So many innocent rightful citizens had been killed or murdered by JVP in 1971 April 5th or before that.
    An Additional to that 1988/89/90 JVP was involved of murdered their politically an opposed their ideologies brand “enemies” had been killed by JVP !

    There was no FAIR justice for that time citizens who become victims of JVP; which been NOT address by Criminal Justice
    Sri Lanka.
    While Politically that UNP leaders were behind JVP leaders has granted blanket amenity. …..in 1977 by JRJ regime of UNP.
    The Key leaders of JVP ‘s are accountabilities of murdered and manhandle many innocent citizens lanka by 1971 April and 1988/89/90 of JVP’s terrorist leaders.
    Unfortunately that JVP leaders has gone without any punishment by Ours legal system. JVP ex-Leaders are right to enjoy to lives inside and outside of Sri Lanka.

    Indeed leaders of JVP has not come the under preview by Judiciary ,s in Sri Lanka since last 55 years.

    Hence many JVP leaders were eligible for Capital punishment including that 1971 April key leaders of Terrorist who had involved of April revolt. The Sunil Ratanayake is war hero who fought against WAR launched by Tamil Separatism of TNA and LTTE to be divided Island for “Tamil Homeland”. Tamil homeland in Tamil Nadu in Republic of Indian .

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