President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) Government find themselves navigating an increasingly complex political landscape as they seek to balance governance, economic recovery, and institutional reform. While the administration continues to project confidence in its reform agenda, the past week was marked by a series of developments that tested the Government on multiple fronts, from the deadly violence at the Negombo Prison and growing unrest among farmers to renewed Opposition mobilisation and intensifying debates over judicial independence.

The Negombo Prison tragedy has emerged as the first major law-and-order crisis confronting the JVP/NPP administration. The Government’s acceptance of ministerial responsibility has been welcomed by some as a departure from past political practice, but the real challenge will be translating those assurances into meaningful structural reforms to address decades of neglect within the prison system. At the same time, preliminary investigations into the violence, multiple official probes, and mounting calls for an independent inquiry have intensified political scrutiny of the Government’s handling of the crisis.

The Negombo incident follows a long history of serious prison violence in Sri Lanka. The 1983 Welikada Prison massacre claimed 53 Tamil prisoners during the Black July violence amid allegations of official complicity; the 2012 Welikada Prison riot left 27 people dead after a Special Task Force (STF) operation searching for contraband escalated into armed confrontation; and during the Covid-19 pandemic, prison unrest emerged once more. Two inmates were killed at Anuradhapura Remand Prison in March 2020 following protests over pandemic conditions; in November 2020, one prisoner died during unrest at Bogambara Prison. Days later, the Mahara Prison riot resulted in 11 inmate deaths and more than 100 injuries after authorities used live ammunition during protests linked to overcrowding and fears surrounding Covid -19 infections.

Despite repeated inquiries following each major incident, accountability has remained limited, while many structural recommendations concerning overcrowding, remand reform, prison intelligence, and rehabilitation remain only partially implemented.

The JVP/NPP Government is also facing growing resistance from the agricultural sector after controversial remarks by senior ministers triggered widespread anger among farmer organisations already struggling with falling paddy prices. As protests gather momentum, the Opposition has sought to capitalise on the discontent, with the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) pledging support for farmer demonstrations while other Opposition parties continue efforts to forge broader political alliances against the Government.

An accountability test

Be that as it may, the deadly violence at Negombo Prison has once again exposed the deep cracks in the country’s prison system. While the immediate crisis has been brought under control, the loss of at least 27 lives, including Prisons officers and inmates, is a stark reminder that chronic overcrowding, ageing infrastructure, and years of neglected reforms have turned prisons into pressure cookers.

The political responses have been equally noteworthy, with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa blaming the Government, demanding an independent investigation and arguing that the tragedy reflected failures in governance and prison administration.

More significant, however, was Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara’s response where he, rather than distancing himself from the incident, publicly accepted responsibility as the Minister in charge, expressed condolences to the victims’ families, and pledged a thorough investigation to ensure such a tragedy was not repeated. It should be mentioned that accepting ministerial responsibility is rare, but responsibility is measured not by words alone since the real test will be whether the Government moves beyond inquiries and emergency inmate transfers to address the structural causes of the crisis.

Housing nearly 40,000 prisoners in facilities built for around 11,000 is not simply an administrative problem, but a policy failure that has accumulated over decades under successive governments. If Negombo becomes another tragedy followed by committee reports and political accusations, little will change. If it becomes the catalyst for meaningful prison reform, then those lives may not have been lost entirely in vain.

Explaining the violence

Justice Minister Nanayakkara told Parliament on Tuesday (7) that preliminary investigations suggested the deadly violence at Negombo Prison may have been sparked by a clash between two rival groups linked to the illegal drug trade, while emphasising that inquiries were still ongoing and no final conclusions had been reached.

According to the Minister, the initial confrontation had broken out last Sunday (5) between two groups of inmates, leaving two prisoners dead and 35 others injured. Although Prisons authorities had managed to restore order that evening, violence had erupted again the following morning as inmates were being prepared for court appearances after breakfast.

Nanayakkara said that Prisons officials believed the dispute may have involved inmates who had provided information to authorities to prevent the smuggling of drugs and other contraband into the prison. He said such inmates were often targeted by organised criminal groups, making retaliation a possible motive for the attack. He stressed that these findings were preliminary and based on information currently available, adding that definitive conclusions would depend on the outcome of ongoing investigations and the report of the committee appointed to probe the incident.

The Minister also alleged that a small organised group had deliberately damaged CCTV cameras and a body scanner during the unrest, suggesting an attempt to disable security measures designed to prevent contraband from entering prison. He also noted that not all inmates were involved in the violence and that many of those injured were innocent prisoners.

Nanayakkara further said that unarmed Prisons officers who had attempted to contain the situation had come under attack, with several officers being killed while trying to protect their colleagues. He added that inmates had later broken through an iron gate and moved towards another exit, warning that a successful prison break could have posed a serious threat to public safety.

The Minister added that investigations were underway to determine how certain inmates had obtained weapons during the incident.

Meanwhile, Acting Commissioner General of Prisons Prasad Hemantha Kumara has noted that authorities had received no prior intelligence indicating that a violent incident was likely to occur at the Negombo Prison. He has said that Prisons officers had been deployed to maintain stability inside the facility, but the situation had escalated unexpectedly when inmates turned violent.

Kumara has also defended the actions of an officer seen opening fire through an opening in the gate during the prison unrest, saying the officer had acted to prevent a catastrophic prison breach and protect Prisons officers trapped inside. It is learnt that the officer had fired the firearm through the opening in the prison gate after an inmate had tried to shoot at the Police personnel and civilians outside the prison from inside through the opening in the gate.

Several firearms that were in the possession of Prisons officers had reportedly been taken over by some inmates and the authorities had later recovered them. One repeater firearm that went missing following the clash was also recovered later following an extensive search of the prison premises.

However, there is currently a separate debate on the actions of the Prisons officer who had opened fire from outside the gate. While some sections continue to criticise the action claiming that it was against standard practices to open fire without determining whom the shots are being fired at, another section has noted that the action was necessary given the riot. The final verdict, however, will be known once the investigations are concluded.

Indian inmate killed

Meanwhile, despite initial claims by the authorities that no foreign national inmates who were in the Negombo Prison were among the casualties, by Tuesday (7), it was found that an Indian national inmate at the prison had been killed during the violence.

While announcing the death of the 73-year-old Indian national, the Police had said that the delay in the announcement was due to the time taken in identifying the dead inmates. The inmate had been in custody since 2025 on charges of bringing 1.908 kg of kush narcotics into Sri Lanka by air and possessing the substance.

AKD’s warning

It is interesting to note that President AKD had recently warned authorities during a meeting on the need to take immediate steps to ease the congestion in prisons islandwide since the overcrowded prisons could blow up at any given time.

It is learnt that he had raised these concerns during the last meeting of the National Steering Committee of the Ratama Ekata anti-drugs programme when the discussion had turned towards the increase in the number of arrests related to drugs. AKD had reiterated that the authorities needed to take immediate steps to reduce the congestion in prisons by looking at sending some persons arrested over drug-related offences to rehabilitation instead of prison.

A few days after the President’s warning, the Negombo Prison riot took place, indicating the urgent need for solutions as well as long-delayed reforms. Minister Nanayakkara, however, told Parliament last Tuesday that the Government had begun expanding prison capacity and introducing reforms aimed at addressing long-standing issues, including overcrowding and staff shortages.

He said that construction work was underway to increase prison capacity by around 10,000 inmates as part of efforts to ease overcrowding across the country’s prison system. He also revealed that a committee had been appointed to review the proposed House Arrest Act, with the aim of allowing certain remand prisoners to be placed under house arrest using electronic monitoring devices instead of being held in prison.

Nanayakkara acknowledged that the Prisons Department continued to face recruitment challenges despite ongoing hiring efforts. “Recruitment is underway for the Prisons Department. However, this State service is no longer considered attractive. Students from good schools are no longer applying to join the Prisons Department and job applications have declined significantly,” he said.

The Minister said that the Government had already taken steps to address problems within the prison system but cautioned that the reforms would take time to produce results.

Briefing Parliament on the incident, Nanayakkara said on Tuesday that seven Prisons officers and 19 inmates had been killed in the clashes, while 23 Prisons officers and 54 inmates had sustained injuries and were receiving treatment in hospital.

He said multiple investigations were underway into the incident. A Cabinet-appointed committee has been tasked with probing the unrest, while the Prisons Department has lodged a complaint with the Police, prompting a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) investigation. The Prisons Department is also conducting a separate internal inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Police announced that investigations into the Negombo Prison unrest had been entrusted to both the CID and the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) on the instructions of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Meanwhile, the Government has also taken measures to declare the old Mahamodara Hospital and old Bogambara Prison as prisons as an immediate measure to ease the congestion in prisons while also looking at expediting legislation to enable house arrests.

The Negombo Prison has now been declared a crime scene and deemed unsuitable to house inmates given the extensive damage caused during the violence.

Urging an independent probe

Several Opposition politicians, meanwhile, on Tuesday (7) called for an independent investigation into the deadly violence at the Negombo Prison, demanding accountability from political leaders and senior officials while warning of possible international scrutiny.

At a media briefing in Colombo, former Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, together with members of the Joint Opposition, questioned who had authorised the deployment of Prisons Intelligence officers and the use of live ammunition, and urged Justice Minister Nanayakkara to resign after accepting responsibility for the incident.

United National Party (UNP) General Secretary Thalatha Atukorale said responsibility extended beyond the Justice Minister, arguing that authorities had failed to address long-standing problems within the prison system.

Former Governor Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that increasing reliance on remand detention had worsened prison overcrowding and contributed to the crisis.

The Opposition said that it planned to raise the incident with foreign missions, international legal bodies, and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), calling for a transparent investigation and the full facts behind the violence to be made public.

Sajith meets Opposition

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Premadasa met with leaders of Opposition political parties in Parliament at the Opposition Leader’s Office in the House. Apart from the leaders of parties in the SJB alliance, MPs Dilith Jayaweera, Dayasiri Jayasekara, and Ramanathan Archchuna had attended the meeting held on Tuesday (7) morning.

Prior to commencing the meeting, Premadasa had inquired whether there was any representation of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) at the meeting. Several SJB seniors had responded saying that the SLPP had planned a press conference that morning. MPs representing Tamil political parties had also not attended the meeting.

SJB MP Sujeewa Senasinghe had noted that the Opposition should request a debate on the violence at the Negombo Prison. While the participants had discussed the details related to the clashes in the prison, MP Ajith P. Perera had drafted the letter to be presented to the Speaker requesting a debate. Chief Opposition Whip Gayantha Karunatilleka had said that after first handing over the letter to the Speaker, if the debate was not allowed, 20 Opposition members should stand in the Chamber and request the debate.

Following the meeting, the Opposition MPs led by Premadasa handed over the letter requesting a debate to the Speaker and the debate was held later that day.

JVP/NPP’s clash with farmers

Meanwhile, the Government is facing mounting opposition from farmer organisations after several ministers had made remarks on farming groups that they claim were insulting to the country’s agricultural community.

Representatives of farmer organisations across the country have decided to launch a nationwide protest campaign against Agriculture Minister K.D. Lalkantha, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Namal Karunaratne, and Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa.

The controversy began when Minister Lalkantha had made a public statement that the traditional saying ‘when the mud is washed away, farmers are worthy of kingship’ was an outdated expression that no longer reflected present-day realities.

The Minister had also challenged the view that farmers were solely responsible for feeding the nation, saying the belief was inaccurate and that farmers themselves should recognise this, further noting that describing farmers as “kings” belonged to a bygone era.

In response to the criticism, Minister Jayatissa had sought to clarify the remarks, stating that the phrase ‘when the mud is washed away, farmers are worthy of kingship’ originally referred specifically to farmers from the Udunuwara and Yatinuwara regions. Following these comments, farmer organisations moved to organise nationwide demonstrations, with protest actions gathering momentum.

Meanwhile, farmer organisations across the country are stepping up pressure on the Government to guarantee a higher price for the Yala season’s paddy harvest, warning that they are prepared to launch nationwide protests if their demands are ignored.

The groups are urging the Government to set a guaranteed purchase price of Rs. 150 per kg, arguing that it is in line with current production costs and a commitment made during the election campaign. Although the Government has announced a guaranteed price of Rs. 120 per kg, farmers say the actual market price has fallen to between Rs. 80 and Rs. 90 per kg, leaving many unable to cover their costs.

Farmer representatives are calling on the Government to begin purchasing paddy immediately at what they describe as a fair and sustainable price. They warn that failure to do so will trigger a large-scale protest campaign across the country.

However, Agriculture Minister Lalkantha and Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe held discussions recently with key stakeholders, including leading rice millers, to determine the minimum guaranteed prices for paddy.

Following the meeting, the Government announced guaranteed prices of Rs. 120 per kg for nadu, Rs. 130 per kg for samba, and Rs. 140 per kg for keeri samba.

SJB to support farmers

The SJB meanwhile has decided to launch a nationwide campaign to support farmers facing financial hardship following the steep decline in paddy prices.

The decision was reportedly taken at the party’s Management Committee meeting last week.

During the meeting, SJB legislators had criticised the Government for failing to ensure a fair price for paddy and condemned remarks made by senior Government ministers that they said had insulted the country’s farming community. Party members argued that a stronger response was needed to address both issues.

As part of the campaign, the SJB plans to support the farmer protests already taking place across the country while organising its own demonstrations calling on the Government to guarantee a fair purchase price for paddy.

Meanwhile, a group of farmers met Opposition and SJB Leader Premadasa and a group of senior Opposition MPs at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Parliament last week. During the discussion, the farmers had explained in detail about their grievances and the SJB leadership had vowed to raise a voice inside and outside Parliament to demand solutions to the issues faced by farmers.

Sajith calls AKD

Meanwhile, President AKD and Opposition Leader Premadasa had held a special telephone conversation recently.

According to reports, the call had taken place before the National Disaster Management Committee meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat last week.

During the conversation, Premadasa, who had initiated the call, had requested that he be given the opportunity to speak first at the committee meeting.

He had explained that a religious almsgiving ceremony was being held at his home and that he needed to leave in time to attend the event. For that reason, he had asked the President to allow him to make the opening remarks at the meeting.

President AKD, it is learnt, had responded favourably to the request and agreed to give the Opposition Leader the opportunity to speak first during the meeting.

Namal’s letter to Sajith

Meanwhile, the Opposition is becoming increasingly active on several fronts.

The debate over the proposed extension of the retirement age of Supreme Court judges has provided fresh common ground for Opposition parties with SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa calling on Opposition Leader Premadasa to convene a meeting of all political parties committed to safeguarding democracy to discuss the Government’s proposal to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court judges.

In a letter dated 7 July, Namal has argued that the Government is seeking to extend the tenure of superior court judges without any valid or justifiable reason, warning that the move could undermine the rule of law and weaken the country’s democratic institutions.

He has noted that the proposal has already been criticised by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), and LawAsia.

Given the concerns raised by these legal organisations, Namal has said that all political parties committed to upholding democracy and the rule of law should come together to oppose the proposal. He has urged Premadasa, in his capacity as Opposition Leader, to convene a discussion involving all democratic political parties to formulate a collective response.

Namal has also proposed inviting the leaders of all political parties represented in Parliament, along with other political figures deemed appropriate, to take part in the meeting.

However, seeing Namal’s letter to Premadasa being circulated on social media, several senior Opposition politicians noted that it was refreshing to see the likes of Namal and the SLPP speaking of safeguarding democracy and judicial independence given the past track record of the Rajapaksas when in power between 2005 and 2015.

Namal’s new wave

Meanwhile, Namal also took a new political step last week with the launch of a new political platform – ‘A Team – Next Wave’ – aimed at uniting Opposition voices both inside and outside Parliament. He was joined by MPs Rohitha Abeygunawardhana, Anuradha Jayaratne, D.V. Chanaka, and Chanaka Madugoda on Tuesday (7) to launch it.

The MPs said that the initiative would provide a platform for political parties, independent groups, and individuals who they believe are not adequately represented in Parliament due to the Government’s overwhelming majority.

They said that the platform would work with Opposition MPs as well as political groups without parliamentary representation to raise public concerns on key national issues and foster greater cooperation among Opposition forces.

According to the group, Sri Lanka needs an experienced political team to address pressing challenges, including economic hardships, the tax burden, and issues affecting farmers, fishermen, graduates, youth, and students.

The MPs said that the long-term goal of ‘A Team – Next Wave’ was to unite Opposition parties and independent groups into a broader political alliance that could eventually serve as Sri Lanka’s “next national team”.

The latest political platform, however, could be seen as a starting point for Namal’s political campaign for the presidency by getting together Opposition parties, movements, and individuals on one platform, especially given the divisions between the Joint Opposition and the Maha Jana Handa movement convened by former Minister Tiran Alles.

Namal’s Krrish probe expands

Meanwhile, the controversial Krrish deal probe where Namal is a key accused has taken another twist, with the CID having expanded its investigation into the purchase of properties worth Rs. 188 million, which investigators believe may have been financed using funds transferred to Sri Lanka in connection with the deal.

The development had emerged when the CID’s Financial Crimes Investigation Division had updated the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on the progress of its investigation into the alleged large-scale financial fraud linked to the lease of a 4.3-acre State-owned property at Transworks Square in Colombo Fort to an Indian company on a 99-year lease.

Investigators have told Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama that financial intelligence reports issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) had revealed transfers of € 1.2 million from a German bank and a further € 1,497,446 from an Australian bank into bank accounts in Sri Lanka. According to the CID, the funds were purportedly remitted in connection with proposed hospital projects in the Hambantota and Nuwara Eliya Districts.

The CID had informed court that investigators were now tracing how those funds had subsequently been used, including whether part of the money had been utilised to acquire local properties valued at Rs. 188 million.

As part of the investigation, the CID has seized 41 electronic communication devices, including laptops and mobile phones, under court-issued search warrants. The devices had been recovered from individuals who had opened local and overseas bank accounts linked to the money transfers, as well as from companies where those individuals had been employed.

The court had heard that the seized devices had been forwarded to the Government Analyst for forensic examination in an effort to establish the movement of funds and identify those involved in the alleged financial fraud.

The CID had also informed court that investigations were continuing in relation to MP Namal Rajapaksa, who has already been indicted before the Colombo High Court on charges relating to the alleged misappropriation of Rs. 70 million in connection with the Krrish transaction.

During the proceedings, President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris, appearing for D.A.G. Silva, the owner of one of the seized mobile phones, had handed over the device’s password to investigators in open court. Counsel had informed the court that his client would provide full cooperation with the ongoing investigation.

After considering the submissions, Chief Magistrate Bodaragama had directed the CID to expedite its inquiries and report the progress of the investigation to the court before ordering that the matter be called again on a future date.

No retirement for MR

Meanwhile, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) says he believes his service to the country has not been sufficient and that he intends to continue working alongside the people.

MR made the remarks while speaking to the media after paying homage and receiving blessings at the historic Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy.

He also emphasised that he had no intention of retiring from politics. “I will never leave politics, nor will I retire from political life. When the time is right, we will present the presidential candidate the people want, at the moment the people call for that candidate.”

Joint Opposition meets Mahanayaka

Meanwhile, Leaders of the Joint Opposition group convened by former Minister G.L. Peiris have briefed the Most Venerable Mahanayaka of the Amarapura Nikaya on what they described as mounting political, economic, and institutional crises in the country, including a shortage of foreign exchange, a widening budget deficit, rising tax pressures on the public, and concerns over the independence of the Judiciary.

The delegation met the Mahanayaka, Most Venerable Karagoda Uyangoda Maithree Moorthi Thera, at the Devram Vihara in Pannipitiya after calling on him and seeking blessings.

During the discussion, the Opposition representatives outlined what they termed as serious challenges facing the current administration. They said the ongoing dollar shortage had placed significant strain on the economy, while efforts to bridge the budget deficit had resulted in an increasing tax burden on ordinary citizens.

They also raised concerns over the independence of the Judiciary, describing it as a key pillar of democracy that they believe is under strain, along with broader issues affecting the legal system.

In addition, the delegation highlighted delays in restoring infrastructure damaged during the recent Cyclone Ditwah disaster, saying affected communities continued to face difficulties due to slow rehabilitation work. They also expressed concern over what they described as external pressures on Buddhist traditions and cultural values.

The meeting brought together representatives from several political parties, marking a notable instance of cross-party engagement. Among those present were Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Chairman Nimal Siripala de Silva, UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena, UNP National Organiser Sagala Ratnayaka, SLFP Treasurer Lasantha Alagiyawanna, and Sri Lanka Mahajana Party (SLMP) Senior Vice President Sameera Senanayake, who were part of the delegation.

Wimal to pay Tilvin?

An interesting incident that took place last week was the court verdict related to two friends turned foes – JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva and former JVP Propaganda Secretary and former Minister Wimal Weerawansa.

The Supreme Court on Thursday (9) upheld a ruling by the Colombo Commercial High Court ordering Weerawansa to pay Rs. 1 million in compensation to Silva for violating the Intellectual Property Act.

The court dismissed Weerawansa’s appeal in its entirety, affirming the earlier judgment.

The case was filed by Silva, who alleged that Weerawansa had infringed the Intellectual Property Act by publishing his book, ‘Naththa Wenuwata Aththa’ (Truth Instead of Lies), which reproduced the JVP’s political ideology and official party documents without authorisation.

The Supreme Court also upheld the order banning the publication and distribution of the book in its current form. However, it ruled that the book may be republished if the disputed 60-page section found to violate intellectual property rights was removed.

RW to engage youth

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe meanwhile is to engage with young people at a dialogue titled ‘Read with Ranil’ on Wednesday (15) at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo.

Organised by the Smart UNP Unit of the National Youth Front, the inaugural session will focus on ‘The New World Order: Geopolitics, Economic Shifts and Sri Lanka’s Future’.

According to the organisers, the programme is designed to provide young participants with an opportunity to discuss evolving global geopolitical and economic trends and their potential impact on Sri Lanka.

A new political academy

Meanwhile, Wickremesinghe, it is learnt, has also taken steps to set up a political academy at his office on Flower Road, Colombo 7 for youth leaders interested in engaging in politics.

It is also learnt that a seminar had recently been organised at the Flower Road office for a leadership training programme for youth in and around Colombo. The keynote speaker at the seminar had been former Minister Rajitha Senaratne. He had spoken about the methods to be used by a speaker to attract the attention of an audience and how to retain that interest.

The UNP leadership has decided to continue with the series of educational seminars on practical political issues. Such events were earlier organised by the late Nandana Gunathilake.

Probe on RW completed

Meanwhile, the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday (8) postponed proceedings in the case against former President Wickremesinghe and former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake until 30 September, pending the Attorney General’s advice on the legal action to be taken. The case was taken up before Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena.

During the hearing, officials of the CID had informed the court that investigations into the matter had been completed and that the case file had been forwarded to the Attorney General for legal advice.

Appearing for the prosecution, the Senior State Counsel had confirmed that the investigation had been referred to the Attorney General and sought a further date to present the Attorney General’s position before court.

Meanwhile, counsel representing Wickremesinghe had challenged part of the investigation, noting that investigators had stated that nearly half of the disputed expenditure related to the use of vehicles during the visit. The defence had argued that the vehicles in question had been provided by the British Government and submitted a document in support of that claim, requesting that the matter be subjected to further inquiry before any legal action was pursued.

After considering the submissions of both parties, Magistrate Amarasena had ordered that the case be recalled on 30 September, by which time the Attorney General’s position on the next legal steps was expected to be presented.

The CID has named Wickremesinghe and Ekanayake as suspects in an investigation into the alleged misuse of more than Rs. 16.6 million in public funds in connection with a private visit to the UK in 2023. Investigators allege that State resources were used to facilitate the trip, which was undertaken to attend the graduation ceremony of the former First Lady.

Plot to arrest Dayasiri

Opposition Leader Premadasa, meanwhile, has alleged that the Government is orchestrating a campaign to arrest MP Dayasiri Jayasekara by promoting what he described as false narratives surrounding an ex gratia payment the MP had received in 2019.

Addressing Parliament, Premadasa said Jayasekara had been granted an ex gratia payment of Rs. 500,000 by the then Executive President on humanitarian grounds. He noted that Jayasekara had later incurred medical expenses exceeding Rs. 800,000 during his treatment.

Premadasa said Jayasekara was now under investigation over claims that he had failed to submit proper bills for the payment. However, he argued that recipients of ex gratia payments were not required to provide bills under the relevant scheme.

The Opposition Leader also accused the Government of using its social media network to circulate allegations that Jayasekara had submitted false bills and to portray the matter as a case of corruption. He claimed the campaign was politically motivated and aimed at paving the way for the MP’s arrest.

Probing Wijeyadasa

Meanwhile, former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has come under scrutiny as part of the ongoing bribery investigation involving his son, Rakitha Rajapakshe, former SJB Organiser for Horana Charith Abeysinghe, and another suspect.

During court proceedings, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) had said investigations had revealed that Rajapakshe had been in Dubai at the same time as his son, having departed Sri Lanka on 21 March 2023. The commission had told the court that investigators were examining the purpose of the former Minister’s visit, the individuals he had met in Dubai, and whether he had any involvement in the alleged bribery scheme.

Prosecutors have also alleged that a portion of the money linked to the case had been transferred through intermediaries at a property on Wijayaba Mawatha in Nawala, where Rajapakshe’s residence is located. Lawyers representing the suspects have denied the allegations and sought bail, arguing that the prosecution’s claims should be properly examined during the trial.

GR’s photographs

Meanwhile, probes into former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (GR) are continuing with the ongoing court case on the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks bringing out photographs allegedly showing GR with Asad Moulana that were produced before the Court of Appeal on Monday during the hearing of GR’s writ petition seeking to prevent his arrest over investigations linked to the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.

Deputy Solicitor General Suharshie Herath had told court the photographs contradicted GR’s claim that he did not know Moulana. She had also referred to a CID statement by a suspect alleging that GR, Moulana, and several others had met at his (GR’s) Mirihana residence in 2019.

Appearing for GR, President’s Counsel Romesh De Silva had argued that the photographs did not establish any criminal wrongdoing, noting that GR had been photographed with numerous public figures during his time as a politician and former Defence Secretary. He had also said that previous investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks had not implicated his client.

Following submissions from both sides, the Court of Appeal had adjourned the case until 9 July for further submissions by the Deputy Solicitor General.

Matale mass grave probe

Meanwhile, fresh calls to reopen investigations into the Matale mass grave have reignited debate over one of the country’s most haunting unresolved human rights cases, with victims’ families, civil society groups, and rights advocates urging authorities to pursue accountability after more than a decade of stalled legal proceedings.

The discovery of the Matale mass grave also drew attention to the district’s command structure during the 1987–’89 JVP insurgency. Former President GR, who served as Coordinating Officer for Matale in 1989, has been named by some politicians and rights activists in calls for a comprehensive investigation. However, he has never been charged or officially implicated in the case and no court has established any criminal responsibility on his part.

The renewed discussion follows growing demands for a comprehensive forensic and criminal investigation into the skeletal remains discovered in 2012 at the Matale District General Hospital premises. More than 150 skeletons were unearthed during construction work, prompting speculation that the victims may have been linked to the violent suppression of the JVP insurgency between 1987 and 1989.

Although several forensic examinations were conducted and court proceedings initiated, the investigation gradually lost momentum amid disputes over the age of the remains, delays in forensic analysis, and the absence of conclusive findings. To date, no one has been held accountable, leaving lingering questions over the identities of the victims and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Recent public statements by politicians and human rights campaigners have once again brought the case into the national spotlight, with renewed calls for an independent investigation backed by modern forensic techniques. Advocates argue that advances in forensic science, including DNA analysis and improved archaeological methods, could help establish the identities of the victims and provide long-awaited answers to their families.

Compensation or prison

Former Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, meanwhile, is faced with a choice of deciding between paying compensation or going to prison.

The Colombo High Court has directed Ranatunga to pay the court-ordered compensation of Rs. 10 million on or before 6 July 2027 following his conviction in a bribery case linked to a land reclamation approval granted during his tenure as Chief Minister of the Western Province.

Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga has warned that failure to pay the compensation by the stipulated deadline would result in the enforcement of the nine-year prison sentence imposed by the Court of Appeal for breaching the conditions of its order.

Appearing on behalf of the former Minister, his lawyers had assured the court that the compensation would be paid within the prescribed period. Based on that undertaking, the court had released Ranatunga.

The case was called to implement the Court of Appeal’s judgment, which upheld the Colombo High Court’s conviction while allowing Ranatunga to pay the compensation within the specified timeframe.

Ranatunga was found guilty of demanding Rs. 64 million from a businessman in exchange for granting approval to reclaim a plot of land in Meethotamulla, Kolonnawa, and of accepting Rs. 15 million as part of the requested amount.

The High Court had earlier sentenced him to pay a fine of Rs. 25 million and Rs. 10 million in compensation after finding him guilty of the bribery charges.