Political victimization: Ranil, Champika, Mangala, Malik summoned

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Ministers Patali Champika Ranawaka, Mangala Samaraweera, Malik Samarawickrama and Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka have been summoned to appear before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) on Political Victimization on August 21.

JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, TNA Leader R Sampanthan, TNA Member M A Sumanthiran and former MP Dr Jayampathy Wickramaratne have also been summoned before the Commission on the same day.

They have been summoned to inquire about a complaint made to the Commission by former Economic Development Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayathilake. He has complained that court cases were filed against him and former Minister Basil Rajapaksa based on false evidence under the Yahapalana Government. The Commission is investigating whether the ‘National Executive Council’ which was formed by the previous Government took decisions overriding the Cabinet powers.

President’s Counsel J.C. Weliamuna, Senior Deputy Inspector General Ravi Waidyalankara, former FCID ASP Serasinghe and the former Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat Director have also been summoned before the Commission.

Kaduwela Magistrate Dhammika Hemapala, who gave the order to remand former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and his Ministry Secretary, has been summoned before the Commission as a witness.

Giving evidence before the Commission, Dr. Jayathilake, who is the incumbent Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, said that the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat formed as per a Cabinet Paper by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was an illegal institution.