Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala yesterday (17) told Parliament that steps have been taken to enhance protection for judges and officers of the Attorney General’s Department identified as facing potential threats.
Addressing Parliament, the Minister said the measures were implemented following security assessments conducted by intelligence agencies. He added that similar arrangements would be extended to lawyers and other law enforcement officials in line with ongoing evaluations and intelligence reports.
“Security has been provided for judges and Attorney General’s Department officers assessed as requiring protection. Comparable steps will be taken for lawyers and other law enforcement officials,” Wijepala said.
The Minister also outlined enforcement outcomes from operations carried out in 2025. He said several unrelated shooting incidents had occurred across the country during the year, and that many suspects linked to those attacks had been arrested. According to Wijepala, authorities seized 75 Type-56 firearms, 85 pistols, 62 revolvers, two sub-machine guns, along with a quantity of automatic and semi-automatic weapons allegedly intended for use in shootings.
In addition, he stated that 23 suspects accused of involvement in drug trafficking, murder, and organised crime were extradited to Sri Lanka in recent months after being located overseas, and are now facing legal proceedings.
The Minister’s statement comes days after the daylight shooting on 13 February 2026 that killed attorney-at-law Buddhika Mallawarachchi and his wife. The couple were inside their vehicle near a supermarket in Akuregoda when two unidentified gunmen arrived in another car, opened fire, and fled.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesperson F.U. Wootler, speaking to The Daily Morning on 16 February, said no special security would be granted exclusively to lawyers appearing for organised crime suspects. He noted that, beyond the standard protection afforded to all citizens, additional measures would not be provided solely on the basis of a lawyer’s client profile.