Gota Has Demonstrated Pattern Of Rewarding Murderers: Thalatha

JUNE 24, 2021

Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s regime has demonstrated a pattern of rewarding murderers and providing those found guilty of the most serious crimes with presidential protection, former Justice Minister Thalatha Athukorale said in a statement condemning the release of murder convict on death row, Duminda Silva.

Athukorale said that while the pardon might have shocked those who trusted the Government, it comes as no surprise to those who knew their attitude towards “protecting” murderers.

“Duminda Silva’s death sentence was unanimously upheld by a bench of five Supreme Court Justices. Beginning with the pardon of child killer Sunil Ratnayake, this regime has demonstrated a pattern of rewarding murderers while punishing police officers who have the courage to investigate murders committed by powerful or politically connected people,” Athukorale noted in a hard-hitting statement.

She said that last week, in in granting bail to former CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekara, the Court of Appeal found that the government fabricated false evidence and false statements and used draconian laws without a shred of evidence to punish independent professional police officers who refuse to bow to them.

“Today, those found guilty of the most serious crimes in our law enjoy presidential protection while the judges and police officers who brought them to justice have targets on their backs,” the former Justice Minister charged.

“If any harm were to befall them, this government will be held entirely responsible.”

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s decision to pardon murderer Duminda Silva has been a long time coming. The Government has come in for swift condemnation from all quarters, domestically and internationally for undermining the rule of law with Silva’s release.

Silva was convicted of murder by a High Court Trial at Bar and the conviction was upheld by a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court.

Full Statement by SJB MP and former Justice Minister Thalatha Athukorale

The presidential pardon granted to convicted murderer Duminda Silva, may have shocked those who trusted this government, but it comes as no surprise to those of us who knew their attitude towards protecting murderers and punishing those who investigated them. Duminda Silva’s death sentence was unanimously upheld by a bench of five Supreme Court Justices. Beginning with the pardon of child killer Sunil Ratnayake, this regime has demonstrated a pattern of rewarding murderers while punishing police officers who have the courage to investigate murders committed by powerful or politically connected people.

Last week, in granting bail to former CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekara, the Court of Appeal found that the government fabricated false evidence and false statements and used draconian laws without a shred of evidence to punish independent professional police officers who refuse to bow to them. That judgment gave people reason to hope that there are still independent, law abiding civil servants and members of the judiciary with a backbone who will not bow down to the executive or bend the criminal justice system and other state machinery to their whim and fancy.

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