• Cites non-implementation of Justice Min. committee Judge’s recomms.

The Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) is to initiate appropriate legal action against the Police for failing to implement the recommendations made by the one-member committee which investigated the then-State Minister of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and incumbent State Minister of Plantation Industries and Mahaweli Development Lohan Ratwatte having forcibly entered the Welikada and Anuradhapura Prisons and intimidating several inmates in 2021.

A committee with the sole membership of former High Court Judge Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena investigated the incidents. In its final report, the committee had recommended to the Police to file a B report under several charges including those of attempted murder, in the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court against Ratwatte.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (1 February), CPRP Chairman attorney Senaka Perera claimed that the Police had failed to file a B report against Ratwatte as recommended by the said committee. “The Government appointed a committee to investigate these incidents and find out what really happened. The committee has made it clear that he (Ratwatte) has committed offences falling under several legal provisions. It has also recommended to the Police to file a B report and initiate legal action against him, but they have not done so. We are concerned about this matter. We hope to initiate appropriate legal action against the Police for failing to implement the recommendations.” 

Being the State Minister of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation at the time of the incidents, he claimed, Ratwatte had committed a serious offence by abusing his powers. “A Ministerial position is usually given to a person who is mostly fit to hold it, but what if they abuse their power and threaten people to death by pointing pistols? Appointing a committee and then doing nothing means that justice will not be served to the victims of these incidents. We will not let it happen.”

Justice, Prison Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms Minister President’s Counsel Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Public Security Minister Tiran Alles were not available for comment.

On a day in September 2021, an inebriated and pistol-brandishing Ratwatte had flown in a helicopter to the Anuradhapura Prison, where he had summoned a group of Tamil political prisoners, ordered them to kneel, and proceeded to threaten two of them at point-blank range, telling them to accept their offences. It was also alleged that prior to these incidents, Ratwatte had, together with a group of his friends, under the influence of liquor, forcibly entered the Welikada Prison premises after 6 p.m. and proceeded to view the gallows.

The report prepared by Weerawardena states that Ratwatte has committed several crimes and that there is credible evidence which establishes such. Among them are: using a weapon in a prison (Prisons Ordinance), using a weapon to commit an offence (Firearms Ordinance), attempting to bring the State to disrepute, causing disaffection against the Government among its people, attempted murder, criminal intimidation by threatening to cause death, causing hurt, and causing hurt with a dangerous weapon which are stipulated under the relevant provisions of the Penal Code.