The homes, chambers and vehicles of two senior magistrates have been bugged by military intelligence, as the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration continues its crackdown on public servants who have shown a strong sense of independence even after the November 16th presidential election.
Colombo Telegraph learns that the judges have been placed under the highest possible surveillance in the hope that the bugging will implicate them as being in league with opposition politicians or other vested interests.
The Government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is claiming to have discovered recorded conversations implicating both magistrates among the trove of recorded telephone calls found in UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake’s home.
However, Colombo Telegraph learns that this claim about the recordings involving the two judges is a blatant fabrication, much like the claims made in a Sunday English newspaper last week that a recording existed of former CID Director Shani Abeysekera admitting to being the source on a New York Times article published in 2018 about how the Chinese company building the Port City in Colombo paid the Mahinda Rajapaksa election campaign USD 7 million. Issuing a statement the New York Times said the newspaper had “incorrectly” claimed to have identified its source on the article. The US based newspaper also said it was “always troubled by attempts to publicly disclose sources” because they intimidated people from speaking to the press.
While cherry picking recordings to release and cause maximum discomfort to its political opponents, members of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration are making wild claims about recordings that do not exist Colombo Telegraph reliably learns. The regime is preying on the uncertainty about volume of recordings in its custody, and the damning implications of some of the leaked tapes to maintain its fabricated claims.
Both judges have shown strong streaks of independence even during the Yahapalanaya regime.
Powerful sections of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration are irritated by decisions made by both magistrates to grant bail to suspects arrested by the police on the basis of politically motivated witch-hunts.
Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne and Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake have found themselves in the regime’s crosshairs.
Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne earned the new administration’s ire when she granted bail to former Minister Rajitha Senaratne.
After initially remanding her for 14 days, the Colombo Chief Magistrate also granted bail to Swiss Embassy local staff member Garnier Banister Francis who was arrested on charges of giving a false statement after she claimed to have been abducted and detained against her will
Jayaratne also raked Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s “new” CID over the coals in court recently when the white van press conference case came up for hearing. The Colombo Chief Magistrate informed the CID that it had made arrests without court orders using charges under which arrests without an order from court were not possible, in the case of at least one of the suspects, the former State Pharmaceuticals Corporation Chairman.
Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake has long been seen as a problem for the Rajapaksa administration, after he filed contempt charges against Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thero in the Court of Appeal which convicted the notorious monk to 6 years in prison for the offence of threatening the wife of Prageeth Ekneligoda inside the Homagama Magistrate’s Court where Magistrate Dissanayake was presiding. Dissanayake has since been appointed as Fort Magistrate where he has been overseeing the investigation into a kidnapping ring run by the Sri Lanka Navy that resulted in the abduction and suspected murder of 11 young Tamil and Muslim men. As part of this investigation, Dissanayake had the dubious honour of becoming the magistrate to place the country’s highest ranking military officer in remand in December 2018. Former Chief of Defence Staff Ravindra Wijegunaratne was arrested and remanded for aiding and abetting the ringleader of the abduction racket Navy Sampath to evade the law. Other senior naval personnel are also implicated in the investigation, including former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda and former Navy Spokesman D.K.P Dassanayake both of whom are being indicted by the attorney general for their roles in the abduction racket. The Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime recently promoted Dassanayake, a long standing friend of the Rajapaksa family, as rear admiral, with a view to making him the next Navy Commander, even as the naval intelligence official faces trial by a special trial at bar set to be appointed by the Chief Justice.(By Janakie Mediwake)
S. R. H. Hoole / January 19, 2020
Supervising/disciplining judges is the job of the judicial service commission: not the president’s. But I am aware of cases where the JSC sits on complaints for months. From where will we get justice in this country?
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Desperate Sinhalaya / January 19, 2020
I have no hopes. So does Mr Sinhala man. Little we can do is to continue showing then the way. Minorities are publicly assaulted, but Madumadawa or the like extremist leaders are given red carpet treatment s by Dilip Jayaweewa s TV channel so that people s misleading is ceaseless. This s good old Srilanka.
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CONCERNED SRILANKEN / January 20, 2020
Hello Folks,
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just imagine, just two months passed since GR-MR are back to lead the grass eaters dominated srilanka ! not much is becoming ” news” today. Why ?
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Please question yourself – what is under surveillance on his top of the list is – NOTHING else but LOCAL media ? Why on earth MEDIA institutions stay that servile to Rajakshes, even if the price hikes of daily needs are beyond record high ? What steps they have taken sofar ?
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jayt / January 26, 2020
precedent Gota is just a clay mud-statue built by global Zionist Jewish movement who have been running Sri lanka for a long period. This is how Gota have been playing tricks between global Jewish instructors and his “Modayas supporters. Modayas supporters says “No Jews are allowed in Sri lanka.” Gota says yes “I don’t allow Jews.” On other hand Gota followed the Jews’ orders . Jews create fake stories and publish in global news and Colombo news papers to keep Gota in power as a fake hero.
Also, on the other side Glbal Jews ordered their other servant RW to stay in UNP leadership to help and promote Gota in his family in power. This way patriotic Sinhalese are completely blocked finding a genuine Sinhalese leader or building up a new Sinhalese political party.
Here is another component how Jews have been hijacking Sri lanka in last few days or week..
Just start with Jews invented story of Church attack.
*Church was Tamil but it was hidden at first news. It was one of series stories global
Jews created to promote Gota . First one already installed which was fake war winning story by Gota. Second one was creating fake Swiss story to help Gota. After story of Jews were behind-it came out, Jews directed swiss government to de-proscribe Tamil Tigers and allow them to collect money again.
Next, sometimes in last week, Jews ordered Chinese foreign minister to make a statement which Sinhalese did know how to interpret it. Here is the statement “Now nobody will intervein in Sri lanka. We China will not allow.” This is not the exact quote.
And in the last few days, Jews have been promoting Tamil Tigers into Colombo area to capture one part of Colombo by legal mean.
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Sivalingam / January 20, 2020
There is a rumour that justice is dispensed at some luxury apartments at Glenarbour Place Bambalapitiya, donated to yamapalana crooks, at great expense to the nattamis and other poor of Sri Lankans.
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You must try there!.
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Leelagemalli / January 20, 2020
They are disipling not judges or any others, but SRILANKEN media.
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The levels they control lanken media is thousand times stronger than in Iran, Lybia or any like minded countries.
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Lanken MEDIA owners should be VERY ashamed.
They cut the neck by their own. THey areno mean independent journos in SRILANKA.
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Rationalist / January 19, 2020
So Where have ‘Democracy’ and ‘Freedom of Speech’ Gone?
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Douglas / January 19, 2020
JD: Thanks. I am for a “BENEVOLENT DICTATOR” and certainly not a “MILITARY DICTATOR”. In Sri Lanka, there is no “Situation” for a “Military Dictator” but a “STRONG LEADERSHIP” of “Benevolent Management with NO NONSENSE” . So, please don’t be confused in a hurry to make assessment of situations and prescribe wrong medications that would be disastrous.
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Buddhist / January 19, 2020
Viyath Neethiya of Gota.
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chiv / January 20, 2020
As expected today Kekeliya and Jeyampathy cases were dismissed bythe same Judge Lanka Jeyaratna but Pujitha and Hema are further remanded with no additional charges what so ever. Jeyawewa. Time to celebrate with milk rice and arrack.
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Douglas / January 20, 2020
chiv: Please read the reason for “Discharging” Keheliya and Jayampathy. The case was “NOT” filed in “Complying” with the Provisions of the “Bribery Act”. The Magistrate was “Directed” by the High Court to “Discharge” the two accused on that objection raised by the defense. The Magistrate, earlier did not agree with the “Objection” raised; but the defense appealed to High Court and the very magistrate was “Directed” to discharge the accused. In “Discharging”, Let me tell you all these cases against the “Politicians” would be laid to rest, because the “Law Enforcement” who investigated and framed charges have seen to that the cases would not be “Maintainable” in courts. Those “Public Officials” have done a “SPLENDID” job by and for the People. That is how things happen in this country.
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chiv / January 20, 2020
Douglas, thanks. It was the same in few other cases too. I was not at all finding the Judge wrong. I was expressing my dismay with our “Loo and Odor”. In this dysfunctional system, I believe the main culprit is the AG Dept. This was set in motion even before Sarath and Mohan got involved with it. This should also explain the depth of corrosion. It is not just the criminals getting away but cases like Lasantha/Thaj getting no where and in few cases innocent being framed and put in prison.
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Mallaiyuran / January 20, 2020
One time the War Crime family leader, Old King, a War Criminal, threatened CV that he was going to review all CV’s past cases and arrest him, because CV had won the NPC CM position. He ended empty handed and stopped that challenge. This attempt may tell they have already something about these two justices. To support that only now they are out to watch the Justices. The Lady should be strong. I mean strong is not enough when torturing and brainwashing starts to show its teeth.
What happened to Garnier and Hiruni are shame of this century for Sinhala Buddhist society. Western world is given to understand their low grade Sinhala Buddhist tastes through coolie TVs. So far none of the Bald Heads nor even anyone of the Kandy Ayatollahs, who call Hitler has said to this media -Stop it; this is beyond limit”. These Ayatollahs, using their mason the Hitler, installing women in the walls and plastering with cement, like King Kasiappa did to protect the country in his own way, as per Mahavamsa.
Hiruni should stand up and become another Chandrika for Sinhalese.
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Nirutha / January 21, 2020
Is anyone really surprised??? Every one knows this will happen because Sinhalese are a nation of fools & cowards. They voted a dictator because they wanted to be ruled by a dictator…. democracy is for intelligent people… not for modayas. Sri Lankan judges are & media are Sinhalese modayas … that’s it.
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Deshapremiya / January 22, 2020
I see the reason as to why our people expect a single person to change the system
Due to movies in which such things happen
But these morons are blind to the ground realities
The constitution stipulates how the nation should be governed
What we need to do is to press our politicians to act according to the constitution
Then the system will work fine
If we the people are not vigilant ,and remain without questioning what is unconstitutional, demanding for what is due to the people this country will not go forward
Politicians of all hue will take us to be fools and make HS wire and they will abuse the tax money to their benefit
Otherwise how do children in some places still go to school with shies in their hand cos there is no bridge across the water they have to wade every day
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shankar / January 22, 2020
he is putting them under surveillance in order to make them servile to him i suppose.
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Raja Wijegunaratne / January 25, 2020
The only reason why the Sinhala Buddhist majority voted Gota is that he vowed to protect Buddhism and also protect war heoros who annihilated the merderous LTTE gang that launched a Sinhala genocide. He must fulfill that. That is the wish of the majority that is ever increasing. Articles like this that voice the partisan view point of those who oppose encourage us to support Gota even stronger.
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