Presidential Commission probing political victimisation finds Former PM and five other ex Ministers responsible

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

The report of the Presidential Commission which probed political victimisation had held former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and five other Ministers responsible for political victimisation.

 It had recommended the review of the verdict given by the Judiciary against Duminda Silva, and had cleared Yoshitha Rajapaksa and to end court case against Minister Udaya Gammanpila. 

The report which was tabled in Parliament yesterday had held former Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, former Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Rauff Hakeem, Sarath Fonseka, Malik Samarawickrama, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran , former MPs Jayampathi Wickramaratne, and former state officers Secretary to former Prime Minister Saman Ekanayake, SSP Shani Abeysekera and J. C. Weliamuna  guilty of political victimisation.  

The report had proposed that the verdicts given by the judiciary in relation to court cases HC7781/15 and 8331/16 which were given against former MP Duminda Silva to be reviewed while it has recommended discontinuation of the cases HC8331/16 and B96823/2015 filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa as a concession for the damages caused to him . It has also recommended discontinuation of the cases no. 1448/2020 which had been filed against former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda and cases filed against Rear Admiral D. K. P. Dassanayake. However it had recommended an investigations by the Bribery Commission against Former Navy Commander and Minister Gammanpila.  

Others who have been cleared are former diplomat Udayanga Weeeratunga and former senior State officer Jaliya Wickramasinghe.