• Informs Defence & Public Security Ministries of ‘serious threats’ to CID ex-Chief’s life 

In the wake of the Attorney General (AG) informing the Court of Appeal (CA) that there is an alleged conspiracy to assassinate the former Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Senior Superintendent of Police Shani Abeysekara, by staging an accident while travelling, the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses (NAPVCW) has recommended to the Ministries of Defence and Public Security that the security provided to Abeysekara be tightened.

Additional Solicitor General, President’s Counsel (PC) Rohantha Abeysuriya, who appeared on behalf of AG Sanjay Rajaratnam PC, revealed to the CA on Monday (4) an alleged conspiracy to stage an accident and assassinate Abeysekara. The revelation was made when the writ petition filed by Abeysekara – requesting the Court to issue a directive to respondents including the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to provide adequate protection for him due to threats to his life – was taken up for consideration.

When queried by The Daily Morning as to whether the NAPVCW would take any action following the revelation of the threat to Abeysekara's life, its Chairman Suhada Gamlath PC said that they had already made appropriate recommendations to the Ministries of Defence and Public Security in this regard. “We have a mechanism to make threat assessments. That is being done secretly. According to that report, we have observed that there are serious threats to Abeysekara. Based on it, we have recommended to the Secretaries to the Defence and Public Security Ministries to increase the security that is provided to him.”

Defence Ministry Secretary, General (retired) Kamal Gunaratne and Public Security Ministry Secretary Viyani Gunathilaka were not available for comment. 

The Court had previously issued an order to the NAPVCW to submit a report on the nature of the threats against Abeysekara. When the petition was called before the Court on Monday, Abeysuriya stated that the Intelligence Division of the said Authority had sent a report detailing the nature of the threats against the petitioner. 

Upul Jayasuriya PC, who appeared for Abeysekara, presented facts before the Court and said that they could not be satisfied at all with the protection presently given to his client. Pointing out that only an old motorcycle and three police officers had been deployed for Abeysekara’s protection, he alleged that although the said Authority had issued a directive to the IGP to provide adequate protection to the petitioner, it had not been fulfilled thus far.