IGP investigation:3-member Ministerial Committee to ensure independent probe

Saturday, 22 September 2018 01:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Says neither President nor PM have requested IGP’s resignation
Notes that only Constitutional Council can replace IGP

By Skandha Gunasekara

The Ministry of Public Administration, Law and Order will appoint a three-member committee from within the Ministry to investigate allegations of bribery and corruption levelled against Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara.

Minister of Law and Order Ranjith Madduma Bandara, addressing a media briefing yesterday, said that his Ministry Secretary has been instructed to appoint a committee consisting of three senior officials.

“Three senior officials from my Ministry will be appointed. We will be conducting the investigation through our Ministry so that it is independent and no police official could interfere.”

He said that there would be no delays in the investigative process.

Furthermore, the Minister noted that only the Constitutional Council could replace an IGP, and that the President and Prime Minister had not requested the IGP to resign.

“I have no powers to remove the IGP from his post. I spoke with the Prime Minister and he informed me that neither he nor the President had ordered the IGP to step down from his post. Only the Constitutional Council can do so,” the Minister said.

Thereafter, the Minister went on to commend the IGP for his actions against crime and narcotics.

“One must note the good this current IGP has done. We have seen crime rates drop in recent times and he has been very tough on the drug menace. The price of drugs on the street has increased because we have cut supplies through police raids,” the Minister said.