Depoliticising the Police

Friday, 22 February 2013 00:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The furore over the transfer of DIG M.R. Lathif, allegedly on the protest of Cabinet Minister Sumedha Jayasena, has provided a disturbing insight into the fate of law abiding public servants. It is alleged that the controversial removal of the Monaragala Police Division from Lathif was prompted by an incident involving the arresting of illegal sand miners connected to Jayasena of the Monaragala District, who had in turn asked the IGP for “relief”.

Accordingly, the Cabinet Minister had allegedly exerted pressure on Police officers to release three men who were arrested while sand mining on the banks of Kumbukkan oya on 27 December. The Minister had reportedly urged the Police officers at the arresting station, including senior officers overlooking the area, to release the offenders, stating they were men recruited to build her house.

However, the Police had withstood the pressure upon instructions from Lathif and produced the three men in Court. Consequent to the calls from the Minister and a subsequent background check on the suspects, it was revealed that they had been convicted for the same offence on a previous occasion. The suspects were reportedly fined Rs. 170,000 each after being produced in Court.

While pressure was building up on the Police over this incident, in a separate incident on 30 January, four men including the brother of a Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman of the area were arrested for allegedly assaulting three Police officers on duty. Four men under the influence of liquor had created a stir at the Monaragala main bus stop, after which three patrolling Policemen had intervened. The four men had allegedly assaulted the Police officers with a sword and fled the area.

Later that night all four men were arrested and brought to the Monaragala Police station. During investigations it was revealed that one of the suspects, who is the brother of the Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, was under a suspended sentence imposed on him for assaulting and snatching away the duty pistol of a range forest officer previously.

The local government member had then allegedly exerted undue pressure on the Police to release the suspect, to which the Police had not relented. It is reported that DIG Lathif had stood his ground and instructed the local Police to act according to the law, which irked the P.S. member and his colleagues.

This saga has resulted in many questions being raised as to the fate of Police officers who attempt to follow the law. Sri Lankan Police are frequently slammed for supporting politicians and failing to be independent, but the root causes for this are never addressed. A prime example is how Cabinet Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella tried to skip past the slippery question when corned at the Cabinet press briefing on Thursday. He insisted that since the suggestive phone call has not been proved, Jayasena could not be charged with abuse of power. Yet, when pressed on the ethics of such a move, he reluctantly admitted that it was an ill-advised step for a Cabinet minister to make.

The deeply corrupt actions of provincial politicians that happen with the full knowledge and sometimes support of central ministers is no secret. The only victim in this instance is the law and the people who, even at the cost of their careers, attempt to uphold it.