4 July 2020 12:21 pm
Attorney General Dappula De Livera yesterday reprimanded higher officials of the Sri Lanka Police Department stating that they were responsible for the state of affairs at the Police Department.
"Only the corrupt protect the corrupt. Higher officials are responsible for the state of affairs at the Police Department. If not by law, all involved in this crime will be punished by Karma," the Attorney General said in a scathing critique of police officers' conduct. He made these remarks in the presence of the Acting Inspector General of Police and other senior ranking officials of the Police Department.
The lecture was held at the Deputy Inspector General's office in Olcott Mawatha, Colombo, instructing police officers on their conduct in relation to the recently foiled Heroin racket involving uniformed officers. The Attorney General made special note of cases where Heroin taken into custody were sold to racketeers by police officers, as well as other offenses. He also made note of the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) duties' in a supervisory capacity.
Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardane, Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Pieris, Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara and Coordinating officer for the Attorney General Attorney Nishara Jayarathna were present at this lecture when Acting IGP C.D. Wickramaratne delivered the welcome address.
However when the Attorney General addressed the Police officers, the Acting IGP Wickramaratne had reportedly walked out of the meeting.
The Attorney General said that he was invited to deliver the lecture by the Narcotics Bureau Director. He said that due to the present circumstances the Attorney General is able to deliver a lecture to the high ranking police officers, even without an invitation, owing to the powers vested in him under section 393(2).
The Attorney General's speech went on for over two hours, following which DIG Ajith Rohana delivered the vote of thanks.(Manopriya Gunasekera)