Inmates file FR case against State Minister Lohan Ratwatte over prison incident

By Sri Lanka Brief-30/09/2021

A Fundamental Rights (FR) application has been filed in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka against State Minister Lohan Ratwatte.

The FR petition has been filed by eight Tamil political prisoners against the State Minister.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M. A. Sumanthiran PC along with Attorney-at-Law Kesavan Sajanthan will appear on behalf of the prisoners.

MP Sumanthiran told NewsWire that he had met the prisoners on Saturday (25), during which they had requested for a case to be filed over the incident.

He said after obtaining all necessary details from the prisoners, he had taken the necessary measures to file the FR petition.

MP Sumanthiran added that he expects the Supreme Court to support the case soon, addressing it as an urgent matter.

The petition comes after State Minister Lohan Ratwatte was accused of breaking into the Welikada and Anuradhapura prisons while under the influence of alcohol.

He was also reported to have threatened two Tamil political prisoners at the Anuradhapura prison, making them kneel under gunpoint.

The State Minister was forced to resign from his portfolio of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation after concerns were raised over his actions.

The Justice Ministry has also appointed a retired judge to conduct investigations into the allegations levelled against State Minister Lohan Ratwatte. (NewsWire)