Duminda Silva indictment:
'My father's killer will be punished soon'
by Jaliya Wijeyekoon
On October 8, 2011 shockwaves erupted in the political circles over
the cold blooded murder of former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, the
Presidential Advisor on trade union matters and three others in Walpola,
Mulleriyawa at a shootout. Colombo District parliuamentarian R. Duminda
Silva too were injured where 13 other suspects were involved in the
incident.
On November 15, 2011 the Colombo Magistrate issued an order to arrest
R. Duminda Silva over the incident, but he was undergoing treatment in a
hospital in Singapore. On March 5, 2013 Silva arrived in Sri Lanka and
was arrested before being admitted to Nawaloka Hospital for further
treatment.
Thereafter, the case was being heard at snail's pace during the
previous regime with no proper action seemingly taken by the authorities
concerned and different views being expressed by interested parties.
In spite of all those obstacles, slain Premachandra's daughter,
Hirunika a Provincial Councillor, was determined to reinvigorate the
case to seek justice over the incident.
The recent Presidential election gave her an ideal platform to
express her grievances and expose the manner in which the previous
regime tried to cushion off the matter to protect its hooligans. She
addressed all major campaign rallies of Maithripala Sirisena and
requested the public to change the maladministration of Mahinda
Rajapaksa which was riddled with an unprecedented degree of corruption
in all vital areas, including the judiciary and police.
With the dawn of the new government where no political interference
over police or judiciary is exercised, Hirunika Premachandra is
confident that her slain father's murder case hearing would be expedited
and the criminals dealt accordingly.
Speaking to Sunday Observer she categorically stated that there is
substantial evidence to prove 'beyond doubt' that a particular person is
directly involved in killing her father and that she would leave no
stone unturned to ensure that the proper punishment is meted on the
assassin. She said that she has great confidence in President Sirisena
and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe both of whom have assured her
that justice would be meted out to any culprit irrespective of the
position they hold.
The Sunday Observer also contacted Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana
to ascertain the present position of the case. SSP Rohana said they have
already completed the police investigations on the charges of murder and
unlawful assembly against 13 suspects and forwarded the relevant file to
the Attorney General's Department for necessary actions on February 26
and awaiting instructions to proceed.
The Attorney General has indicted 13 suspects including MP R. Duminda
Silva in connection with the assassination of Bharatha Lakshman
Premachandra.
The Attorney General filed action against them in High Court on March
3 on 17 charges including the Premachandra murder by shooting.
The suspects were identified as Chandana Jagath Kumara, Pathiranage
Chaminda Ravi Jayanth, Kodippiliarachchige Nalaka Sameera, Vidanagamage
Amila, Sarath Bandara, Suranga Premalal, Chaminda Saman Kumara
Abeywickrema, Priyantha Janaka Bandara, R. Duminda Silva, Rohana
Marasinghe and Liyanaarchchi Saminda.
Most of these suspects are said to be members of the security detail
of Colombo district parliamentarian Duminda Silva while others are his
cronies and henchmen who accompanied him at the time.
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