Tharaka Dharmakeerthi Wijesekera alias Kosgoda Tharaka, who was in police custody on a detention order, was shot dead the same night despite a lawyer informing the IGP in writing about a threat to his life.
The day before, Dinith Melon Mabula had been killed while in police custody. The Court of Appeal has heard a petition filed by Gampola Vidanalage Samantha Kumara alias Wele Suda’s mother who was sentenced to death for murder outside the police station where they were detained.
The Committee to Protect Prisoners’ Rights has questioned why the IGP did not act in accordance with his official authority despite a warning about the safety of Tharaka Dharmakeerthi Wijesekera’s life.
Senaka Perera, Attorney-at-Law, Chairman of the Committee to Protect the Rights of Prisoners, has stated in his complaint that if the IGP acted in such a manner, it would create serious mistrust among the citizens regarding the Sri Lanka Police and as a result make the citizens insecure.
Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera has also requested the National Police Commission to conduct an inquiry into the IGP’s negligence.
Attorney-at-Law Anoj Hettiarachchi had written to the IGP on 12.05.2021 requesting the IGP in writing to pay attention to the threat to the life of Tharaka Dharmakeerthi Wijesekera, who is in police custody on detention orders.
The lawyer had also informed the CID and the Peliyagoda Special CID operating under the IGP regarding the threat to his life.
However, the suspect was killed in the Mirigama area on the same night.
The police later announced that the suspect had died in retaliation when he was about to attack the police while being taken away for an investigation.
The Committee to Protect the Rights of Prisoners has also sent a copy of the letter sent by Attorney-at-Law Anoj Hettiarachchi to the IGP to inform the Chairman of the National Police Commission about the threat to his life.
Meanwhile, Samantha Kumara’s mother RG, who is serving a death sentence in Boossa Prison, has been released. President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, appearing for Malani, told the Court of Appeal that the suspects, who are currently in police custody, were being taken out and killed.
Judges Arjuna Obeysekera and Priyantha Fernando, who are scheduled to hear the petition on the 24th, have issued an injunction restraining the prisoner from being taken out of jail until that day.