Magistrate refuses to ban IUSF march, protest;
“The pen and papers are in our hands withdraw the complaint!” Another action caused by Thambuththegama Police officers;
Govt-JSC clash to intensify, President meets key ministers, advisors Urged to take stern action against JSC;
Politician’s gang murdered all six women in Kahawatte;
Galle docs strike today over Mayor’s conduct;
Magistrate refuses to ban IUSF march, protest
The Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday turned down a request by the Colombo Crimes Division to issue an order to prevent the march and protest in Colombo organized by the Inter University Students Federation on Friday (28).
The CCD told the court that intelligence reports had revealed that the march, which began from Kandy on Monday, would reach the Kelaniya University on Friday and from there they were planning to march to Temple Trees. If that were to take place it would cause much inconvenience to the public and if they attempted to march on the high security zone it would create a grave disturbance and posed a threat to security.
Magistrate Kanishka Ranasinghe said that he had no power to prevent the march and protest, but if they became a public menace the police could use its powers to combat it.
IS
“The pen and papers are in our hands withdraw the complaint!” Another action caused by Thambuththegama Police officers.
Randunu Pathiranalage Susil Priyanga is married businessman who owns a communication center in Thambuththegama Ragina junction. On 03rd August 2012 in the morning 10 police officers attached to Thambuththegama police station has arrived at Susil’s shop and beaten him brutally saying he threw stones at the police and taken him to custody and brought him before the Thambuththegama Magistrate under fabricated charges of damaging public property and had filed a case against him.
After he was released on bail susil had made complaint to the National Human Rights Commission, Attorney General, Inspector General, Deputy Inspector General , Superintendent police, Headquarter Inspector. On 18th September 2012 a call had been received by the neighboring Salon from an unknown caller informing that to withdraw the complaint. On 19th September 2012 around 4 pm a police officer named ‘Abey’ attached to Thambuththegama Police Station had come to the communication center and threatened Susil saying “Withdraw the complaint or face the consequences. Or remove my and name and Upali’s name. The pen and papers are in our hands”
Susil had made written complaints to the responsible authorities on the threats he received from the police officers.
RL
Govt-JSC clash to intensify, President meets key ministers, advisors Urged to take stern action against JSC
The battle between the government and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is likely to intensify, in the wake of certain decisions taken at an emergency meeting President Mahinda Rajapaksa had with several ministers and presidential advisors on Monday (24).
According to highly placed government sources, one of the recommendations made at the meeting was for the President to take stern action against certain JSC officials, using the powers vested in him constitutionally.
Government sources disclosed that the emergency meeting was called as a response to a statement issued by Secretary of the JSC, Manjula Tilakaratne, alleging various elements were exerting pressure and influence on the JSC, on certain official decisions it had made.
Sources said the meeting had focused especially on the activities of the JSC, and complaints received directly by the President against some its officials.
The ministers and the advisors had while emphasizing that the government should not ignore or be silent about the allegations levelled by the JSC, had urged that it respond, specifically to the allegations made by the Secretary of the JSC and various others in the legal field. According to the sources, the ministers and advisors had urged that not to respond would reflect badly on the government and set a bad precedence in the eyes of the public.
The JSC recently issued a press statement detailing many attempts by the government to trample on its independence, following the Supreme Court expressing its determination on the Divi Neguma Bill, which it held to be unconstitutional until the Provincial Councils are consulted on the matters involved in the Bill.
By Kapila Punchimanna
CT
Politician’s gang murdered all six women in Kahawatte
Police investigations have revealed that the killing of six women in the Kahawatte area was masterminded by a group led by a local government politician from the Ratnapura area.
Investigators refused to reveal names. They only said the main suspect and several others were in remand over the killing of a woman and her daughter allegedly in retaliation for providing information to the police about drug dealers in the area.
The mastermind is believed to have planned and obtained the services of five contract killers to carry out similar killings in the area to mislead police, investigators into believing that they were not responsible for the Feb. 03 double murder, investigators have found.
Two sisters, Sethunge Dayawathie (61) and Sethunge Tilakawathie (52) were murdered at Kotakethana on May 31, this year. And another mother, U. D. Premawathie and daughter M. P. Pushpakumari were brutally killed on July 18. All those murders had been committed by the same group, police said.
Police have not yet found how much the contract killers were paid to carry out the killings.
Police have also found that the contract killing group had five members.
By Hemantha Randunu IS
Galle docs strike today over Mayor’s conduct
All government doctors in the Galle District will go on a 24-hour strike from 8.00 a.m. today in protest against the failure of the police to arrest Galle Mayor Methsiri de Silva.
The Mayor is alleged to have obstructed and abused a Medical Officer of Health.
Assistant Secretary of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), Dr. Nalin Ariyaratne told The Island yesterday that they had warned of this action and expected the police to implement the law. “It seems that the police are not taking any action and we have to demand justice,” he said.
Galle Mayor Methsiri de Silva, on September 19, had obstructed MOH Dr Venura Singarachchi and abused him verbally in front of the latter’s office staff, Dr Ariyaratne alleged. On the same day Dr. Singarachchi had lodged a complaint with the Galle police, but no action had been taken so far to arrest the mayor, the GMOA said.
Dr. Ariyaratne said more than 1,000 doctors, Family Health Workers and even the Public Health Inspectors’ unions had expressed their support to the GMOA’s trade union action.
The Galle Mayor vehemently denied allegations being levelled against him.
Police Media spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said the case had been referred to the Conciliation Board.
By Don Asoka Wijewardena
IS