Parading suspects before media questions professionalism of investigators – Saliya Peiris

Murder of Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman

Tuesday, 28 October 2025 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Says such childish acts will be counterproductive
Urges to strictly follow established procedures by law when arresting suspects

By Shanika Sriyananda

Saliya Peiris

Criticising a video, which shows Police officers publicly questioning the suspect of Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Lasantha Wickramasekara's murder, President’s Counsel Saliya Peiris has warned that such acts would not help prosecution once the trial commences.

Writing on Facebook, the former Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) President urged that arrests and criminal investigations must be conducted strictly in accordance with the procedure established by law.

“Parading suspects before the media, getting them to give voice cuts, and sharing those clips on media and social media will thrill some sections of the public but will not help the prosecution once the trials start,” he said.

The video shows Police officers interrogating Wickramasekara’s murder suspect soon after he was arrested and it went viral on social media.

Peiris said those childish acts do not enhance the image of the Police and are counterproductive.

“It calls into question the professionalism of the investigators and brings disrepute to the whole system,” he emphasised.