Mr. President, the murderer is in your lap

FRIDAY, 01 AUGUST 2014 08:31

It was on a day like yesterday (31st) that distinctive artist Premakeerthi de Alwis was murdered 25 years ago. A commemoration ceremony was organized at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) complex. A large number of artistes including Victor Ratnayaka participated. The President was the special invitee. Premakeerthi’s widow Ms. Nirmala Alwis had told the President, “Mr. President, the murderer is on your lap.” Ms. Nirmala Alwis charges that the Chairman of SLBC Hudson Samarasinghe murdered her husband.

Speaking regarding this Ms. Nirmala Alwis later said, “Many commemoration ceremonies are held on behalf of Premakeerthi. However, only a few speak about his murder. After studying regarding this murder for 25 years I had come to a conclusion.  I told the President and others through various messages not to sell Premakeerthi’s death for political reasons and that the murder was not committed by the JVP. There was a case regarding the murder. However, it ended in a hilarious manner without even having an identification parade regarding the suspects arrested.

Today, a good ceremony had been arranged. The street between the SLBC and Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation was named after Premakeerthi de Alwis. When I was getting ready to come for the ceremony I got a message that there was an exhibition at the beginning of the road organized by Hudson Samarasinghe and it attempts to depict that Premakeerthi’s murder was committed by the JVP. I went for the ceremony. The President, before sitting at the ceremony, went to see the exhibition. I knew it was a scheme. I knew the effort I made for 25 years bearing sorrow and sickness to show that the murder was committed as a personal revenge and not by the JVP would be in vain. Fortunately I had brought the book ‘Premakeerthini’ in which the incident has been described. As I could not bear the injustice I wrote two sentences in the book. I wrote that ‘Mr. President, Premakeerthi’s murderer has taken refuge under you.’

As the President was passing me I spoke to him. He stopped. As I gave him the book I told him, “Mr. President, I won’t ask anything else from you. But do justice on behalf of Premakeerthi. For the murderer is under your refuge. I make this request in front of the world and I hope there would be justice”.

"Sir, the killer is sitting on your lap" - Premakeerthi's wife tells President

 Friday, 01 August 2014 

 

Yesterday (31) marked the 25th year anniversary of the departure of prominent artist Mr. Premakeerthi De Alwis, who was brutally assassinated in 1989. In commemoration of his memory, a ceremony was organized yesterday at the Sri Lanka broadcasting Corporation premises. A lot of well known veteran artists took part in this event which was held under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

However, Ms. Nirmala Alwis, wife of Mr. Premakeerthi de Alwis, who had been present at the ceremony, has complained to President Rajapaksa in public saying that the murderer of her husband is still serving under the President. She accuses that it is the current SLBC chairman Hudson Samarasinghe who is responsible for the death of her husband.

Expressing her views regarding the matter further, Mrs. Alwis said that although a lot of people try to commemorate Premakeerthi, still only a few have taken courage to talk about his assassination.

She said that even the court case that was filed to sort out justice, ended without even holding an identification parade in order to place the blame on the JVP.