Political victimisation of former CID head, a warning to Police: SJB

The main Opposition the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday demonstrated near the Port City in Galle Face calling for an end to alleged suppression and intimidation by the Government. The campaign included demands for an end to lies and a place for truth

By Asiri Fernando

The continued political victimisation of the former director of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Shani Abeysekara is a warning given to other police officers who enforce the law impartially, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Manusha Nanayakkara charged yesterday. 

Addressing a press conference, Nanayakkara alleged that the Government did not provide adequate medical treatment for the former investigator who had contracted COVID-19 while at Mahara Prison, pointing out that the patient was first moved to the Welikanda treatment centre in Batticaloa before being moved to the IDH treatment centre in Mulleriyawa. 

“Today we have got reports that two other CID officers, Mendis and Premathilake, who were arrested with Abeysekara have COVID-19, but have not been moved to a hospital for treatment. PCR tests have revealed that they have COVID-19, they have been given ‹Panadol› pills and asked to rest. This is revenge for the hard honest work these policemen did investigating crimes connected with politicians. Policemen have to do an impartial job no matter which Government is in power. It is because some officers did so that today the attention of the world in on Abeysekara,” Nanayakkara said, adding that such acts were a warning to honest law enforcement officers not to interfere with political corruption and crimes. 

Nanayakkara stated that politically aligned groups were trying to discredit all the cases investigated by Abeysekara by misrepresenting an audio recording between the former investigator and Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake.  “Shani Abeysekara applied the law to everyone, even when we were in power, he investigated our own ministers, he did not cave in to political pressure. Even when some of our leaders tried to derail investigations by entering into deals with accused parities, Abeysekara stood his ground and continued investigations,” Nanayakkara stated, adding that the former CID head had requested Ramanayake not to inquire about on-going investigations.