Resignation not enough; arrest Lohan immediately: NPP lawyers

Claiming that the resignation of State Minister Lohan Ratwatte was not at all sufficient over his involvement in the incidents in Welikada and Anuradhapura prisons, Lawyers of National Peoples' Power (NPP) said today that he should be arrested immediately and produced in court.

Attorney-at-law Sunil Watagala told a news conference that the Minister had violated the Prisons Ordinance, Criminal Procedure Code and the Offensive Weapons Act as he had entered the prisons intoxicated at an irregular time and threatened some prisoners at the Anuradhapura prison with death using his personal pistol.

He said there has been a bad trend in Sri Lanka for those involved in criminal or some unlawful acts or thefts to resign from their positions or repay the looted money and said it was not a good practice.

He said this sort of action by a Minister would negatively affect Sri Lanka internationally where UNHRC council sessions were in progress.  

Mr. Watagala urged the Government to arrest the State Minister and produce him in court for legal action. (Ajith Siriwardana)