My private life is not a secret

Following the controversy of a theft of a laptop and few bottles of liquor from his house, UNP Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera has once again made news. Despite many allegation including a clandestine affair  he had, Mangala Samaraweea is firm and says that he had never been a hypocrite and he has  the right to privacy of his private life and no one has the right to talk about it.





Q.  Your plan to level a scathing attack on the government based on the alleged theft in your  boomeranged on you, hasn’t it?
Well,   I never ever said that the government was  involved in that incident.  It was a commonplace happening.  Similar incidents are reported almost every day. However a state controlled TV channel has resorted to a mud slinging campaign to tarnish my image.





Q. Did you request for security claiming that the theft of a laptop was a conspiracy?
As a parliamentarian I  have been requesting the Panadura and Matara police to provide security  to my residences since 2010.  It is my entitlement. But I was deprived of that right on various pretexts.  Ultimately I made a request in parliament.   Then the Speaker pointed out that all members should be treated alike and ordered the IGP to comply with my request.   




Q. Did you get adequate security after that ?
No, even after that  my request was ignored.  The officers only inspected the house.  In fact the incident on December 30th could have been averted if security had been provided to the house.  But I did not request for security based on that incident. However, they got panicky about it and provided security from December 31st.  I know that adequate security has been provided to the residences of all other MPs in my district. Even some of the opposition members have security units of ten to fifteen police officers.  It is a clear indication that I am considered an enemy of the government.  The authorities not only failed to provide security to my house but they also use the recent incident to tarnish my reputation.





Q. It is said that the articles allegedly stolen from you are really what you had presented to him.
I totally refute it. I am not prepared to comment on it to the media, because I am planning to take legal action against the allegations. Then the people will come to know whether it was a theft or not, and who instigated it.  Theft of a laptop is an ordinary incident.  However I suspected of  something else which I did not disclose.







Q. What was that suspicion?
On the day of the incident I was at Deniyaya with my relations. I heard that a thief had broken open my desk.  The key was with me. I had many other valuable items in the room, but the thief had not taken away any of them. Then I wondered whether  my documents were his target. Later I learnt that a few bottles of liquor and a laptop belonging to a person working in our office had been taken away.





Q. You claim that a conspiracy against you is being hatched. What is that conspiracy?
Now see, who are appearing for the man involved in the theft?  It is Matara District Parliamentarian Buddhika Pathirana’ s father in law and former Ambassador in Italy Hemantha Warnakulasuriya who appeared for Duminda Silva as well.  A President’s Counsel and six other lawyers are appearing for a man who has stolen six bottles of liquor and a laptop. Anyone can understand what that conspiracy is. We will bring it to the notice of the court through our lawyers.





Q. Suspect’s wife made a statement to court under affidavit and gave an interview to the media. She has levelled serious allegations against you.
 Who that woman is will come to light very soon.  They are motivated by one thing and only one thing: to tarnish my image. That is why a President’s Counsel is appearing for the suspect.





Q. What have you got to say about the allegations of that woman?
I totally refute her allegations and my lawyers will  answer them in court.




Q.  It is said that he had a spate room in your house, and he had a key to the house, and he often received presents from you.
Why should a man who had a key to the house and a separate room, break open a fanlight in the bathroom to enter the house.




Q.  The suspect’s wife told the media that you planned to get rid of the suspect after you met another young man.
 It was not I who implicated him in the case. The caretaker of the house had made a complaint to the police. It was his duty to inform the police. I would not have gone to the police to complain of the theft of a used laptop and six bottles of liquor.




Q.  You had presented the laptop to him seven days  before the theft.
I didn’t make any complaint. Police said the suspect admitted that he had stolen the laptop.




Q. Didn’t you know the suspect at all ?
 He had often visited my house and helped  in domestic affairs and occasions at my house. I have  not had other relations with him.





Q.  One of his wife’s allegation is that you had clandestine relations with him.
 I have the right to privacy of my private life. After all it is not a secret. From my boyhood my parents and even my relations knew that I was not a hypocrite.  I lead my life honestly and without any harm to others. So no one has right to talk about my private life.  However, I strongly deny the allegation that I had such indecent relations with the suspect.

(A translation from Irida Lankadeepa)