28 March, 2024

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Exposé: Tiran-Dilith And Sirisena: How The President Interfered To Prevent The Arrest Of Murder Suspect Wasantha Karannagoda

Colombo Telegraph can now reveal the shocking saga of how President Maithripala Sirisena stepped in to prevent the arrest of former Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda by influencing the Attorney General and the judiciary ahead of his fundamental rights petition being heard in the Supreme Court on Thursday March 7.

President Sirisena who is now in charge of Law and Order was briefed ahead of time about the AG’s plans to indict Karannagoda for allegedly aiding and abetting the murders of 11 youth abducted by a Navy gang in 2008 and for deliberately concealing evidence about the abductions. The aiding and abetting murder charge being non-bailable the former Navy Commander would have been arrested by the CID once the charges framed by the AG’s Department were read out to him.

Colombo Telegraph learns that following a thorough briefing on the issue by Solicitor General Dappula De Livera, President Sirisena had claimed he would not stand in the way of the law taking its course against all those who had been involved in the kidnapping and murder of the 11 youth.

The fear of being remanded drove Wasantha Karannagoda, Sri Lanka’s commander of the navy during the final phase of the war into hiding from the CID by February 21 the day he was scheduled to appear before the CID. After pursuing him at two of his known residential addresses in Colombo 05 and in Kotte, the CID reported to the Fort Magistrate that Karannagoda was absconding and the Fort Magistrate impounded the former Commander’s passport and ordered the Controller General of Immigration to stop him from leaving the island.

While being a fugitive from justice Karannagoda used his high-end legal team led by President’s Counsel Romesh De Silva to file a petition in Supreme Court on 22 February trying to block his arrest by the CID. Romesh De Silva PC has become the lawyer of choice for suspects in high profile criminal and corruption investigations who want to get their arrest by law enforcement agencies blocked. When the case initially came up on February 28 Supreme Court Justice Priyantha Jayawardane recused himself from the case claiming that he had once appeared for Karannagoda while he was practicing as a private lawyer. But before he recused himself Justice Jayawardane tried to get the AG to agree to give an undertaking to Romesh De Silva that his client Wasantha Karannagoda would not be arrested by the CID until the case was taken up again on 7 March. The AG flatly refused to give this undertaking to Court which meant that if the CID found the former Navy Commander between February 28 and March 7, Karannagoda could still be arrested. The AG was represented in the Supreme Court on February 28 by Additional Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne.

The former Navy Commander continued to remain in hiding from the law.

On 6 March the eve of Karannagoda’s case in Supreme Court businessmen and media captains Tiran Alles and Dilith Jayaweera met President Sirisena. Both Alles and Jayaweera are members of Team Gotabaya. Both are under criminal investigation themselves for financial dealings during the Mahinda Rajapaksa presidency.

During the meeting with Sirisena, Alles and Jayaweera begged the President to request the CID not to arrest Wasantha Karannagoda. They told him that if Karannagoda was arrested he would not be able to get bail due to the seriousness of the charge.

President Sirisena offered to speak to the Attorney General’s Department on the ex-Navy Commander’s behalf. While offering to speak with the AG, President Sirisena quipped to Jayaweera and Alles: “Those two (AG and SG) are constantly running to me asking me for promotions to the Supreme Court. I can talk to them”.

After the meeting with Alles and Jayaweera, Sirisena spoke with Attorney General Jayasuriya and instructed him that the AG’s Department should not insist on the arrest of the former Navy Commander.

Dilith Jayaweera

Accordingly the next morning – 7 March – shortly before the case was due to come up in Supreme Court, Attorney General relayed the President’s instructions to the state attorneys who would represent the CID in the case filed by Karannagoda. The message was clear – there was no longer a need to insist on arrest.

Meanwhile based on his chat with Sirisena on Wednesday Alles relayed the information the President had given him that the AG and SG were angling for promotions to the Supreme Court.

A shrewd litigator, Romesh De Silva was well aware that Justice Buvaneka Aluvihare who was presiding that day was entertaining hopes of becoming the next Chief Justice. A promotion of Attorney General Jayasuriya to the Supreme Court could stymie those plans since an AG can be elevated to CJ automatically.

Tiran Alles

Last Thursday 7 March Romesh De Silva PC appearing with attorneys Sugath Caldera and Niran Anketell made submissions for two hours and 10 minutes. His first salvo – which lawyers said were aimed at immediately prejudicing the bench – was to tell the three judges that the AG and the SG were seeking promotions as judges of the Supreme Court. The situation was a “disgrace” he said and that AG’s Department was not what it used to be.

He then launched an attack against the CID, calling their investigation politically motivated and even referring to CID IP Nishantha Silva as the “hangman”. Distorting facts reported in CID B reports and claiming that the former Navy Commander could have got away with murder in May 2008 because he and his men were war heroes but had still chosen to make a complaint to the police De Silva said his patriotic blood was boiling because of how the CID had conducted its investigation to implicate “the man who won the war for us”.

Officials from the AG’s Department remained silent throughout the vicious attack on the AG and the CID never even protesting against De Silva’s malicious claims against their own boss. ASG Dayaratne also never saw fit to defend CID IP Nishantha Silva the first respondent in Karannagoda’s petition, whose counsel he was supposed to be.

Instead all the false facts reported to court about frivolous charges against Karannagoda, the lack of evidence, the former navy commander’s actual role in the sordid story of how men under his command abducted and killed boys from rich families for ransom were never corrected for the court record.

At one point Justice Surasena even asked the AG if there was really enough evidence to indict Karannagoda since Romesh De Silva had painted a shocking picture about a shaky case that the ASG with all the facts the CID had given their ‘legal team’ never tried to counter or set straight.

In fact ASG Dayaratne told court that the AG’s primary interest in the case was not the arrest of a suspect hiding from the law and wanted on a charge of aiding and abetting the murder of 11 young boys.

The surreal day in Court ended with Romesh De Silva having his way with the three-judge bench of the Supreme Court. Led by Justice Buvanekha Aluvihare the bench refused to allow President’s Counsel J.C. Weliamuna who was appearing on behalf of the mother of one of the abducted boys to make submissions in the case. The judges appeared to be so pliant towards De Silva that they even allowed him to make changes to the order.

All three justices who heard the case were former judge advocate generals who had served on military tribunals when they were officials at the AG’s department.

In the face of Sirisena’s blatant interference in the process of justice and his unashamed partisanship towards members of the former Rajapaksa regime the UNP Government has chosen complete silence. Despite the 19th Amendment’s best efforts to make the Office of the Attorney General independent by preventing his removal except through a Resolution of parliament the AG’s Department remains a pliant institution ever willing to be manipulated by those wielding political power.

Update: Contacting Colombo Telegraph after this report was published Jayaweera denied meeting President Sirisena. The media boss said that he had not met President Sirisena in many months. He also claimed that he was not under investigation.

However several sources confirmed the meeting between the two businessmen and the President. Jayaweera was also present in court on both dates that the Karannagoda’s FR petition came up. On the 7th media reports said Jayaweera’s mobile telephone had been on during the hearing. When the SC judges were ordering the date and time at which Karannagoda was to present himself before the CID it was Jayaweera who confirmed that Monday at 9AM will be suitable for the former Navy Commander. Dilith Jayaweera and Admiral Karannagoda are known to be close associates.

Jayaweera’s claim that he was not under investigation is also false. Jayaweera was investigated for stock market manipulation through the infamous pump and dump schemes by the FCID in 2015. But after the sacked former FCID boss DIG Ravi Waidyalankara began making “deals” with criminal and crooked elements of the Rajapaksa regime he concluded the case.

In 2015 the Colombo Magistrate’s Court ordered a full report on the controversial share transactions of then SEC Chairman Nalaka Godahewa, Dilith Jayaweera, Sarvajana Anandaraj Ameresekere and Varuni Amungama who is Jayaweera’s business partner at TRIAD and Derana. Jayaweera and several other high net worth investors are under scrutiny by various law enforcement agencies for alleged involvement in share price manipulation and insider trading at the Colombo Stock Exchange. A FCID case into alleged share manipulation by Citrus Leisure, the company headed by Jayaweera has been referred to the Attorney General as well as several other Securities and Exchange Commission related cases that have implicated the media boss. (By Ramani Bulathgamuwa)

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Latest comments

  • 42
    9

    What is the logic claiming war heroes should not be arraigned before courts on criminal charges? Are war heroes above the law? The abduction and killing of 11 Tamil students in and around Colombo was a crime committed outside the theatre of war.

    It is a shame the AG’s department did not respond to the submissions made by the defence lawyer Romesh Silva.

    If the report is correct that Attorney General Jayasuriya and the Solicitor General are angling for the posts of Supreme Court judges and hence their silence at the hearing is a national disgrace. This is why the International Community is demanding a hybrid court to investigate accusations against top rung army generals and others who gave orders to kill even those LTTE cadres who surrendered to the army. That was a heinous crime and deserve investigation and punishment. by a hybrid court.

    • 11
      36

      Yes, they should be above the law. Because if not for their heroism and dedication, there wouldn’t be a Sri Lanka left to protect law and order and human rights. CLEAR?

      If you want to live with the ‘international community, go and live with them leaving Sri Lankans alone, you separatist punk.

      • 5
        3

        Mr jothipala, just be thankful that none of those 11 kids were your own or near and dear to you or I. This is not a lTTE Vs Patriots issue. It is a matter of the Rule of Law for the protection of ALL citizens.

      • 2
        0

        Jothipala’s BIL , Sorry to say it isn’t clear at all.

        In fact it is damned sight confusing that Sri Lanka still have people like you roaming free to spread your venom , bigotry and hatred without hindrance and cause so much damage. Such a shame really!

        Sadly, it will take another 100 years for those like you to grow up.

    • 7
      26

      Thanga,
      “The abduction and killing of 11 Tamil students in and around Colombo was a crime committed outside the theatre of war.”
      ————-
      Whole country was under a military operation to eliminate LTTE Demala terrorists. These guys were working as agents of LTTE to collect vital information. There were many such people in the south. LTTE carried out bomb attacks on civilians using information provided by these guys. They were a part of LTTE terrorist outfit.

      • 13
        1

        You dumbass, killing innocent
        Kids not LTTE. Think before you start right. Don’t talk a fart before a shit.

      • 15
        2

        Eagle Eye,
        .
        This man does not know anything but making effort to insist that those lads were working as agents of LTTE ? So, we the Sinhalayas can also suspect you guys as ones working for any other terror groups or not ?
        Without having any proof documents, how dare you the kind of senior citizens to behave like Wimal Ponnawanse ?
        How old are you MAHINDA PALA ? I think you are now in your early 80ties.
        :
        If you senior men would not grasp it, how could grass eating majority down there in SL would see it ? They just do what Rajaakshe extremists ask them to do right ? I think if ALL IS FOUND regarding those 11 innocient lads to be killed by those men in forces.
        Killers REGARDLESS of their ranks should be hung by their balls going by lanken laws.
        No impunity should work here, if they killed them …
        Basta

    • 3
      3

      This is not hiding a criminal as a war hero. Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda had not informed the source of information to POLICE. That is the main reason by AG accused him as a suspect, solely because not exposing the NAVY Intelligent. Should he expose those people gathering intelligent of terrorist to Police? Please tionk the situation at that time.
      There are no proper law to safeguard these sort of activities which is relevant to national security.

  • 3
    0

    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2

  • 21
    0

    Et tu Niran Anketel?

    No one is surprised
    When Niran Anketel was at STC he was already saluting these war heroes at college functions.
    He looked down on Tamils and married a white girl who is the CEO of his legal firm. They even have an office in Jaffna which his French wife visits often to do business.

    Tamils should boycott Niran’s legal firm. They should also boycott Gateway schools which often asks for donations for their buildings. The Tamil parents have donated so much to the Alles’.

    Niran thinks he is far above these Tamil victims . He sucks.

    .

    • 9
      0

      Wasn’t Anketell part of Sumanthiran’s law firm initially? He used to talk about war crimes, and the need to prosecute the war criminals, but is now defending war criminals? I would like to wait and hear his explanation, but it is surely a volte-face.

  • 10
    0

    The article is indeed a thriller. But it is no joke with the abduction and doing away with young lives dangled for a ransom. In a previous comment I said that abduction, demanding a ransom is nothing new in Sri Lankan history and the Batalanda report too confirm the existence of these despicable acts. However, the article again implies that the President “manipulated” the judiciary. Further it implies that counsel played with the “psyche” of the presiding judge, although he is only one of three. The implication does not tally with the judges refusing to dissolve the parliament. Obviously what was decided is to strike the middle ground. No arrest for VK. He must give a statement and cannot tamper with witnesses. I prefer to read this article again and again just for the psychological satisfaction but it does not appeal to my cool and rational thinking.

  • 3
    7

    If anyone go through the available information, it is easy to understand that former Navy commander has not informed that his intelligent service people gathered all information and were not named in the complain he made to Police at that time. I think at that time Sri-Lanka was under heavy threat of LTTE and in a position of not trusting anyone. If the Commander gave his sources to police it could be a disaster. Please think what happened at Millennium city incident. The way I think he has not gain anything from this extortion business by his subordinate. He reported the way it should be considering the prevailing situation. Sarath Fonseka is his number one enemy. Police can consider these facts. but as from influence from SF from Ambalangoda to Nalaka de Silva from Ambalangoda he was purposefully accused.;

  • 14
    2

    At the next UN session a motion should be passed that the President Maithripala Sirisena is aiding and abating war crimes perpetrators in Sri Lanka from being arrested. If war crimes is a crime punishable by offence, then aiding and abating the perpetrators should be a major crime.

  • 4
    14

    According to anti-Sinhala and anti-Buddhist ‘Koti Diaspora’ and NGOs thriving on $$$s from white philanthropists Sinhala Buddhists are racists and fascists. Hindu and Christian Demala people are saints who do not harm even an ant.

  • 2
    0

    Uduvil.

    In fact, I was surprised as well when Niran Anketell was junior to Romesh De Silva P.C.in this case. normally he appears along with M.A.Sumanthiran P.C.
    His pater Dr.Anketell had played cricket for Royal and had lived just by the side of STC : College avenue,Mt.Lavinia, many years ago. Of-course he later abandoned Medicine and became full-time Christian; Born again Christian?
    Father and Son appear to be different personalities!
    Niran appears to have been @ STC when the armed revolt was in full swing;

  • 11
    2

    Only in Sinhala Bauda Lanka Child Murders are called war hero’s and provided with state funded body guards.

    “Former Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda appeared before the Criminal Investigations Department yesterday morning to record a statement over the abduction and killing of 11 youth has accepted that the unit in question operated under his direct supervision.”

  • 3
    13

    I think this elevan youth are from LTTE pottu amman wing, all are excellent Sleuths. They may be loitering near the Camp.

    • 4
      3

      JD

      That means you agrees that they were killed all are have not come to an conclusion.

      Your can think of many scenarios the the courts has all information with proof charges are applied,

  • 3
    0

    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2

  • 3
    0

    Ramani Bulathgamuwa, you are going well

  • 10
    2

    Coming Soon!

    A hybrid court with International Judges from Europe USA, Canada.

    • 4
      3

      Sandra.
      .
      Yes that will be the day freedom for all srilankans
      If not these Sinkholela monkeys will never learn

    • 5
      8

      Not as long as our 3000 year old Sinhala Buddhist civilisation started by King Devanampiya Tissa, that lasted until the 1815 deception by the British Jews, exists.

      These international courts are the new devices of the same European Jew thieves who stole our land and blood for 500 years.

      Woe unto them.

      • 2
        0

        Lol. Buddhism is only 2600 years old.

        Is it King Deva Nambiya Tissa or Theva Nambiya Theesan. 3000 years ago it can’t be Deva Nambiya Tissa.

  • 10
    0

    Trian Alles is deadly dangerous, beware

  • 6
    3

    Sometime ago there was a rumour that Karannagoda (no kids) had an illicit affair with Shiranthi Rajapakse. Any truth?

  • 9
    0

    I have watched Romesh De Silva performing in Court. Man he is no lawyer; he is no lawyer.

  • 4
    1

    he is having problems with his wife.I don’t like the way he is looking at the dog.

  • 5
    11

    Tamils are very recent arrivals to this country. The indeginous are Sinhalese.

    • 7
      0

      shoko asahara

      “Tamils are very recent arrivals to this country.”

      Of course you are right.

      “The indeginous are Sinhalese.”

      Assuming they are indigenous does it mean they have double the number of organs compare to the others, example four b***s, two willies, ……?

      Actually they also came at the same time as the Tamils on similar Kallathonies from South India and converted to Sinhala/Buddhism.

      If you are in doubt please check your DNA.

    • 1
      0

      shoka

      The Ainu are the indigenous (not indeginous) of japan.

  • 1
    1

    These are very biased allegations and lots of fictitious facts to mislead stupid readers. Everyone knows who are represented by this news forum. I am sure what happened in Nandikadal is shrinking monitory portal to those who only survived on innocent peoples lives. At the end, the truth will prevail like Pirapaharan and his clans dramatic demise.

  • 4
    0

    It is disgraceful the President Sirisena himself has gone to the extent of interfering with the administration of justice and preventing criminals brought before court.

    Is Sri Lanka a country where Primitive Jungle law is prevailing.

  • 3
    0

    This just brings memories of the Bindunuwewa massacre when young men in the care of the government were massacred. By who? Everybody in sleepy Bandarawela knows, but our majestic judicial system didn’t. Let us remind ourselves what Deepal Jayasekera wrote in WSWS

    ‘The Supreme Court decision is the culmination of a lengthy process that demonstrates the deeply engrained racialist bias of the entire legal system in Sri Lanka—from official investigations to the prosecution case and the decisions taken at each level of the court system. A Sinhala mob murdered 27 unarmed Tamils in broad daylight while armed police stood by, and yet no one has been found guilty of any crime.’

    So, nothing has changed in all these years then.

    Let us hang our heads in shame. Because the thick-skinned piss-heads who interfere with our judiciary don’t give a hoot for our national disgrace.

    • 0
      0

      Spring Koha,

      Do you happen to know Deepal Jayasekara personally?

  • 2
    4

    All the people are enjoying freedom (write freely, move freely etc) now due to sacrifices they made, risks they took. Their (majority) intention was to defeat terrorism, win the war. While doing so some sacrificed their lives during the war and some-others have to forgo their freedom to political games after the war. They also could have enjoyed all the perks without any worries had they been selfish. Then the terrorist war would have continued loosing many more lives; giving opportunities to warmongers, asylum seekers etc to exploit the situation.

    • 4
      1

      Lal, you write ‘All the people are enjoying freedom (write freely, move freely etc) now……….’

      Sadly, we could had all that without a thirty-year war. Our misfortune was devious power-hungry politicians who failed to give the minorities the simple freedoms that should the right of ALL Sri Lankans – respect, fairness, justice, and equal opportunity. Every Sinhalese politician just tried to outdo the other to impress the Bauddha-Sinhalese voter. WE ALL ended paying a high price.

      • 2
        1

        Spring Koha,

        Politicians have no boundaries; no color, no race, no creed, no gender, no religion. They all (Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim) exploit people. Unfortunately Tamil politicians created a “Frankenstein” while trying to exploit Tamil youths. See the destiny of those politicians, not only them but those who were in our neighboring country who supported behind the scene.

        Reality is that there is no end to giving or taking anything in this world.

  • 3
    1

    My sympathy to parents who lost their children. Unfortunately these parents never get a chance to see the justice, unfortunately Sri Lanka do not have a law, which is equal to every citizen . My advice for parents is get together make a documentary movie, show that movie to rest of the world about SL jungle law.

  • 1
    3

    My dear Native Vedda

    Thank you so much for your comments.

    Tamils are recent arrivals, say a maximum of 400 – 450 years – after Portugese conquest especially Dutch brought them for cultivation from South India

    Mahavamsa is right, Sinhalese came first about 3000 years ago.

    Have a nice day!

  • 1
    0

    Hello, Prime Minister, your future has come to past, your days are numbered. The writing on the wall is clear though you may refuse to see. Now at least at this eleventh hour step in courageously to avert these illegal and treacherous schemes of President and his acolytes. You can at least make amends for your past irregularities and betrayals. Have you got the brace to come to the rescue of our country. Can you regiment your party and get due justice done to the people. If you can do that people could appreciate you and may forgive you.

  • 1
    0

    This 11 boys killing is a failed attempt for these low class crooks, who share the brave soldiers pride who gave their lives. These crooks have taken ransom money from other rich people before; if CID can make on of the victim who gave money and came out of Gunsite , to come forward and give their statement definitely they can arrest this crook and go forward to arrest the masterminded politician behind this.

  • 2
    0

    What is alleged here is unnerving.One wonders where most of this low-class commentary is coming from. Using third rate language they are berating one another spilling racist bile rather than addressing the most serious information and issues adverted to in the article that any decent Sri Lankan ought to worry about that is the illegal behaviour of the President and the top Law Officers of the government and members of the Bench of our country.If the news is correct then would it not be in order for the Prime Minister of this country to take action through parliament to first hold a parliamentary inquiry with a view to having a Judicial Commission appointed to investigate the claims made in the article which if substantiated would be tantamount to commission of crimes at the highest levels of the government and judicial system which must end in criminal prosecutions associated with pereverting and or attempting to pervert the course of justice. Where is the commentary on that count? One would also expect the AG and other lawyers named in this article and the Justices to look at defamation and contempt issues if the information is malicious and is not true. Nobody expects anything much from the president but he could at least deny the most serious and criminal allegation against him . There is an old Sinhala saying one is reminded of here, that is “That is if the “Weta” or the fence and the “Niyara” or the ridge of the paddy field both built to protect and aid the growing paddy plant starts munching it up who to could the farmer report his grievance”.

  • 0
    2

    YES, ‘SINHALESE ARE THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF SRI LANKA’.
    Any one wishes to join me in my BELIEFS is always welcome.

    I am not a ROBOT !

  • 0
    0

    That Retriever is Obese probably too much food. He has to e given less food and more exercises. (walking and playing).

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