19 March, 2024

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Gota’s Goon Blasts Chief Justice; AG Refuses To File Contempt Charges

Major General Jagath Alwis, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security slammed the judiciary in a high-handed letter addressed to Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, accusing lower court judges of being responsible for the violence that unfolded in Sri Lanka, after SLPP led mobs attacked peaceful protestors at Galle Face on 9 May.

Jagath Alwis

Colombo Telegraph exclusively learns that Major General Alwis directed his complaint to the Chief Justice, in a warning to the Supreme Court that the judiciary will be held responsible for the unrest and damage to property, for failing to grant court orders sought by the police to stop the #GotaGoHome protests in districts throughout the country.

The letter from a bureaucrat, addressing the Chief Justice and blaming judges for the unrest springing from unprovoked attacks on peaceful protestors by ruling party mobs was a clear contempt of court. An enraged Chief Justice Jayasuriya immediately forwarded the letter to Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, instructing the AG to file contempt charges against Major General Alwis immediately.

However Colombo Telegraph learns that AG Rajaratnam tipped Maj. Gen. Alwis off to the Chief Justice’s orders to bring contempt charges against the military officer. Rajaratnam summoned Alwis to his chambers, and drafted a letter that was signed by Major General Alwis withdrawing his original missive, begging the pardon of the Chief Justice and pleading for clemency from the court. Armed with the letter, Secretary Alwis was packed off by the AG to meet with Chief Justice Jayasuriya and plead forgiveness in person.

Supreme Court Justices were stunned by the Attorney General’s disregard of their wishes and prompt cover up of a flagrant attempt by the executive to terrorize the judiciary into stifling public protest. Rather than investigating and prosecuting the suspect as advised by the highest court in the land, Rajaratnam instead colluded with the suspect against the victims to shield Alwis from prosecution.

During Alwis’ tenure as Chief of National Intelligence, judges perceived to be too independent found their chambers and official vehicles wiretapped by the intelligence services, as exclusively reported by Colombo Telegraph.

It is not the first time that AG Rajaratnam has abused his official powers to protect dangerous military officers from criminal prosecution.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s attorney general has been at the forefront of protecting military officials aligned with the regime. There was outrage a few months ago when Rajaratnam arbitrarily decided to drop the indictment against former Navy Chief Wasantha Karannagoda who was on trial at the High Court for conspiracy and murder in connection to the 11 young men abducted for ransom and murdered by Sri Lanka Navy officials in 2008-2009. The new Attorney General has also permitted the high profile trial against accused military intelligence officials in the abduction of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda to be conducted before a trial-at-bar chaired by High Court judge Daminda Totawatte who was a former Judge Advocate of the Sri Lanka Army and continues to enjoy military escort and security.

Repeated attempts by police divisions in different districts to obtain court orders to stop demonstrations and protests against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa were shot down by Magistrates across the country. Alwis’ letter attempted to hold the judges responsible for the 9 May violence, and threatened consequences against members of the judiciary for their part in the violence and destruction.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Jagath Alwis, a former Chief of National Intelligence, as the top bureaucrat at the ministry of Public Security, led by Minister Sarath Weerasekera, a former navy official, in an example of his systematic militarization of every aspect of public life.

Alwis is a Gajaba Regiment veteran like President Rajapaksa and was believed to have been present during the Welikada prison massacre in 2012, in which 27 inmates were executed in cold blood. Alwis has also been implicated for playing a lead role in the White Van terror from 2006-2014, which reportedly earned him the nickname, “father of the white vans”.

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Latest comments

  • 42
    2

    Rajapaksas have chosen very faithful Tamils for Attorney General Rajaratnam and Governors of Northern Province Hon. Jeevan Thiagarajah and Dr. Suren Ragavan to serve the Rajapaksa family alone. Recently, the Governor of Northern Province warned to cancel the Municipal Council for not allowing Vesak flags in Ariyakulam. What a service?

    • 22
      0

      What about Thirunadesan, The man who provided a Jet for Mahinda (Name?) to visit a Hindu God in Thirupathy. There are a lot more Tamils at their service.

    • 2
      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

  • 19
    1

    The Attorney General has taken the role of a Major General. Is there a way by which the Attorney General could be hauled up for Contempt of Court…………….
    Poor chap.To please his master he would even demean the office of The AG.
    Small people in Big places……………….

  • 18
    1

    There are “Uncle Tom” in every race.
    There were jew hating jews.
    There were jews who informed Nazis of other jews that were sent to the gas chambers so that they could have a few more days of life!!!

  • 19
    4

    The “official” and “state” religion is Buddhism.
    All state atrocities are forgiven. Monks thus run the government from behind the scenes.

  • 14
    1

    The real inflation rate is 132% https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihIVY5CKTdI

    When all’s done …….. the real culprits for this, the Rajapakses, are going to escape scot free ……. Ranil is going to be the villain holding the baby …….

    As always, Ranil has perfect timing ………. to make an entrance …………

    • 0
      0

      Why we cant claim the Rajapakses’ loot ……… it was given to them by 6.9 million using their free-will ……. similar to Wilt Chamberlain …. 33:05 …….. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm8asJxdcds :))

      OC, …… Thinking of exchanging Palki’s 50″ screen for a 85″ for Tamar?

  • 10
    2

    Sometimes, a person’s facies is a transparent window into his soul. The contemptible white-van riding, Judge-bashing Executioner General is one of these.

    Shameful man.

    Lickspittle follower of the more shameful leader-president.

  • 19
    3

    No wonder Ramanyake commented about Judicary. If he was sentenced to 4 yeras RI why cant file case aginst the Army officer. Judicary in Sri Lanka is in very pathetic cndition This is eaht haapedns when Judiciary appointments are pure political aapointmnet. The countruy is in the present patheic condition because Rajapakse;s have many stooges in public service. they loot the country as partners of Rajokase;s group
    The mian accuse is Rakaokse and Basil. ( Mina and Kaka) Shoot down the two nirds najiruty of the issues will be ovver the GOAT will runaway, Over 74 years the Singhlka Poliricans ruined the cuntry and swindked the isand. Why are we blmig te Brtism Dutch and the Portugiuese. They are foreigners who invded and swindked the country,Rajaoksas who caal themselves as Boomiouthras swindled their own ciuntry and nurdered their own people

  • 16
    1

    Jagath Alwis is the mastermind of Gota’s Deep State. In his former incarnation he was the enforcer running the white van treatment program for those who dared to expose the crimes committed by the Rajapaksas. This public enemy No. 1 is now the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security run by the former Home Guard Sarath Weeraskera. How dare this Alwis guy threaten the Chief Justice and the entire Judiciary? Sanjay is the latest in the long line of toady Attorney Generals who have jeopardized justice in this country. What a macabre regime Gota has created. The full story of the savage terror unleashed by this regime on the peaceful protesters on the 9th, and later that night in the Temple Trees and around the country is yet to be told.

  • 12
    0

    After what our courts did to Ranjan Ramanayake for contempt of court I have no confidence in the capacity of our judges to do justice in such matters.

    They react from their guts and punish anyone who speaks bad of them !

    Our courts are known for such delays that cases filed by a father is finished only by his grand son !

    Judges and courts are maintained with our money but we cannot find fault with them !

  • 7
    1

    Rajapakshas are not fools. They are racists but appointed a dhemalu as AG so that these guys will dance to their illegal needs. Rajas would even warn them that if they dont comply then the will become dhemalu kottiyas and arrested under PTA. This dhemalu rajaratnam should not have accepted this job if he does not have the balls to stand to his professional standard. Hope the youth will take not of this guy too.

    • 2
      3

      Black Lankan you are wrong here I think. Rajaratnam was the most senior officer in that department after the former AG retired. Cannot blame the Rajapakse’s for that appointment.

  • 4
    1

    Political appointments in any public administrative jobs goes against the principles of Democracy/decency. This is the reason senior public jobs should be screened by the INDEPENDENT “Constitution Council” . The Government’s Stooges in various positions are the CURSE of law abiding citizen. The Crooked businessmen/ Politicians/ journalists /judges/ security forces/media owners HAD been RESPONSIBLE for the current state of our MOTHERLAND. Has Ranil W, the PM, got the courage to work against these PEOPLE? Can he arrest the former PM for INCITING people to attack the peaceful protestors.

  • 1
    0

    It is time for
    1]the SACK OF the Security Forces appointed for civilian administration of the VARIOUS MINISTERIES of GoSL.
    2] ceasing any kind of business dealings for Defence forces especialy in the North and east of SL.
    3] Drastic reduction of defence expenditure (it should be an IMF requirement for any LOANS to be advanced to GoSL.
    4] Appointing an Independent Election commissioner who could see through a clean trouble free Parliamentary election

  • 13
    0

    Forget about respecting this judiciary, how can you even call them a judiciary ?

    A former CJ Sarath Silva said he made a mistake in acquitting Mahinda Rajapakse in the Tsunami case. In that case Sarath Silva not only acquitted MR he even punished the complainant. This rascal is now in the MR camp and keeps giving ‘opinions” on the law. he should be paraded naked at Galle face

    Then we had Asoka Silva who after retiring as CJ became a staff member of MR. He rehabilitated the hated PB Jayasundera . PB’s subsequent career is partly responsible for our present disaster. Asoka Silva is a non-entity and not worth taking to Galle face. Just cancel his pension and remove his name from the list of former CJs.

    After that w had the worse fraud and rascal Mohan Peiris who begged of Sirisena to retain him ! This guyhas no standards at all and speaks in English with a Wattala accent which MR thinks is a Scottish accent ! He too not only should be removed from the Judges list but also removed from the legal profession for bringing it into disrepute.

    In the present Court is former servant of Basil ( crow) Priyantha Jayawardena . he is a wheeler dealer and a bogus rascal. Remove him

    Can we respect this court ?

  • 3
    0

    Ex-Military people should no longer do any civilian administrative posts. PM needs to change them as soon as possible. He needs to change the Attorney General as well. Why is the PM not asking the CID to interview Mahinda R?

  • 4
    0

    There are two sides to a coin. There is no question that a letter of this kind addressed to the CJ is most unacceptable just as much as Ranjan Ramanayake’s wordings are. But both told the naked truth. I don’t hold a brief for 1+225 who are directly responsible for the dire straits in which we are in. They should be held accountable, even to the extent of confiscating their property, but I cannot condone arson and looting of property be it public or private. Some titillate at the destruction of property saying, “damned good for those fellows”. But noting the fact that arsonists were all clad in black and with black helmets and the quite a lot of petrol that is required (which ordinary fellows like us are hunting for everyday) to set big houses on fire indicates there is something to investigate very seriously. I am not the least surprised that there is a hand which existed right under our nose responsible for this condition, against whom there could be many a warning by the defense experts, but warnings ignored just as much as the situation for the 04/21 attacks.

    • 1
      0

      Good sense
      “But noting the fact that arsonists were all clad in black and with black helmets and the quite a lot of petrol that is required (which ordinary fellows like us are hunting for everyday)”
      Absolutely true. Just because we don’t like the people who were attacked, we shouldn’t ignore the fact that these arsonists had no connection to the Aragalaya, except for using it as a pretext. They were very well organised. One day they might turn on us, so it is vital to find out where they came from.

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