Police Under CBK: The Ponnambalam Murder

By Rajan Hoole –April 4, 2015

Dr. Rajan Hoole

Law Enforcement and the Security Services: Politicisation and Demoralisation – 7

Under the PA, as during the preceding UNP era, there is well-founded suspicion of Police connivance in attacks on individuals and even killings. We have mentioned allegations against a section of the PSD. The EPDP’s deputy leader N. Ramesh was murdered on 2nd November 1999. His recent writings that were widely read promoted the LTTE, and it was well known that the EPDP leader was finding him a thorn in the flesh. He was gunned down in broad daylight by assassins with automatics, in a well-policed Colombo suburb. There seems to be a lack of interest in finding the killers who could act with such brazen impunity within the City. This furthered suspicion of state-complicity when Tamil Congress leader Kumar Ponnambalam was murdered by a gunman in the same Wellawatte area during the morning of 5th January 2000.

The complicating factor is that the key figure ‘Shantha’ who was instrumental in the murder had been planted on Ponnambalam some months in advance and had been communicating with him. On the fatal morning, Ponnambalam went out alone with him on his request at very short notice, after deciding to spend the day at home. This incautious behaviour is inexplicable in an experienced criminal lawyer. The dealings of Ponnambalam with ‘Shantha’ remain a mystery and were not those of a lawyer with his client.

Kumar Ponnambalam

Whatever the truth behind Ponnambalam’s murder, it has become more embarrassing for the Government after the manner in which the Police handled the investigation. For a start, the Police kept on giving theories that the murder was an LTTE job. These received publicity in the government media. There were also some contrary indications, such as a reported pick-up vehicle for the assassin having tinted glasses, thus pointing to some influential connection. Victor Ivan, the editor of the Ravaya, said that they had reported a tip-off from a police investigator that they had identified the killer as Moratu Saman, an underworld figure. Later, upon hearing that Saman was in police custody, Ivan telephoned SSP Bandula Wickremasinghe, director CDB, and told him about his paper’s reference to Saman. Ivan added that Wickremasinghe angrily dismissed his allegation.

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