Yoshitha Rajapaksa further remanded

Son of Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Yoshitha Rajapaksa has been further remanded till March 10, along with 4 others. This decision was taken after the suspects were produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court, today. They were arrested and remanded on the charge of money laundering

Doctor convicted of killing husband fears deportation to Sri Lanka

The lawyer for a Geraldton doctor who bludgeoned her sleeping husband to death with a mallet after years of abuse says his client believes she will be deported to Sri Lanka once she is released on parole.

Chamari Liyanage, 36, stood trial for murdering her husband Dinendra Athukorala in their home in June 2014, but a Supreme Court jury convicted her of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Liyanage has been sentenced to four years in jail and with time already served, could be released in July.

During the trial the court heard how their five-year marriage was defined by the "worst kind" of escalating sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

Liyanage testified she had tried to leave her husband six times but was trapped in a cycle of abuse with someone who was "a monster".

Her lawyer, George Giudice, said his client would appeal against her manslaughter conviction.

He said she was concerned she would be deported.

"She is a permanent resident and as you know she's a doctor, the story goes that once she's released they'll deport her immediately," he said.

"That's what she believes to be the situation," (abc.net.au)

Lack of match winners may hurt SL -

The Asia Cup 2016 in Bangladesh will make its T20 debut in the 14th edition. The tournament, which is seen as the dress rehearsal for the ICC World Twenty20 in March, has a special place for Sri Lanka, who, along with India, have won the title five times since the inception of the tournament in 1984.

Despite suffering a 2-1 loss at the hands of India in the recently concluded away T20I series, Sri Lanka’s squad for the Asia Cup looks a formidable outfit with the return of the veterans who missed the India series due to various reasons. And the island nation will see this tournament as the perfect opportunity to show the world that they are one of the best despite the retirement of legendary duo Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who were part of the 2014 title-winning Asia Cup squad that beat Pakistan in the final.

In-form India, unpredictable Pakistan and giant killers Bangladesh, Sri Lanka have their task cut out; but the five-time champions have the arsenal to take them all the way in Mirpur.

Skipper Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Rangana Herath and Nuwan Kulasekara are all seasoned campaigners, and their comeback will add a lot of strength to the Sri Lankan team. Malinga, who is the highest wicket taker in T20Is with 38 wickets, has been asked to take over the leadership duties from Dinesh Chandimal.

In the absence of Sangakkara and Jayawardena, SL have many young batsman who can help them pull off a surprise in the tournament. The responsibility to lead the batting will be on Tillakaratne Dilshan, who is the most experienced player in the squad. Though not in the same prolific form that made ‘Dilscoop’ famous, the veteran opener may come into his own at the big stage.

Over the last few years, Dinesh Chandimal has been one of their most consistent batsman in Tests and ODIs but he has yet to establish himself in the T20 format. His average is less than 15 in 28 T20I international innings. However, he has the talent and would be hoping to take charge this time around.

Among all, vice captain and all-rounder Angelo Mathews could turn out to be the key man for the Sri Lankans. He is perhaps the most underrated batsman currently and has often bailed his team out of tough situations.

Apart from the trio, the rest of the batting is relatively inexperienced. Shehan Jayasuriya has played just five T20Is, Niroshan Dickwella has also played only two T20Is and couldn’t do much in the three games on India tour.

Dasun Shanaka’s all-round skills can be one of their surprise weapons in Bangladesh, but he was exposed when asked to bowl on batting-friendly tracks in India following the game played on green Pune track.

With batting looking not so great, Sri Lanka possess a good bowling line-up with Malinga and the reliable left-arm spinner Herath back.

They can give any team a run for their money. And with the supporting line-up consisting of Mathews, Nuwan Kulasekera, Thisara Perera and Sachitra Senanayake - they have experience and match winners in their kitty. Much of the bowling unit that had been vital to Sri Lanka’s 2014 World T20 victory remains in place.

Also a word must be reserved for lanky paceman Dushmantha Chameera, who, along with Malinga, gives the Sri Lankan attack pace to rattle the opposition batsmen.

Sri Lanka Squad: Lasith Malinga (Captain), Angelo Mathews (Vice-Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Niroshan Dickwella, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milinda Siriwardana, Dasun Shanaka, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera, Thisara Perera, Sachithra Senanayake, Rangana Herath and Jeffrey Vandersay.

Coach: Graham Ford

Strengths: Experienced bowlers

Weakness: Lack of match winners

Internet disconnected in over 2,000 schools in sri Lanka

Internet facilities of more than 2,000 government schools countrywide had been disconnected due to non-payment of bills, a teachers’ union said yesterday.

General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union Joseph Stalin told The Island that altogether about 2,700 schools had been provided with internet facilities under the School Net Connection project for the use of students, especially those studying Information Technology as a subject.

Stalin said that the schools had to pay Rs. 7,000 – Rs. 9,000 as Internet charges monthly. The entire IT sections of schools had been paralysed due to disconnection of Internet facilities, he said. "We have brought the situation to the notice of Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and he promised to solve the problem within two weeks," the unionist said, adding that Minister also promised to reduce internet charges to Rs. 1,500 and allow more data than under the previous package after discussing with the Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Harin Fernando.

The teacher unionist said that students could not wait for two more weeks to solve the problem and the minister had so far not taken action.

Stalin said the government was promising education development based on IT, but it couldn’t provide uninterrupted Internet access to schools which had not experienced no such problems previously.

He said the government should find out why the bills had not paid.

"We are also against the project called School Software Management System which was implemented by the Ministry as there are several lapses in the project," Stalin said.

He said that at present English language was being taught in government schools, but students could not speak English when they left school and precautions should be taken to prevent a similar situation from occurring as regards IT as well.

Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam was not available for comment.

Sicille Kotelawala further remanded

Sicille Kotelawala wife of prominent businessman Lalith Kotelawala, further remanded until 27th of April by the Colombo High Court today (23). She was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport, while returning to Sri Lanka on the 4th of February.

Shooting in Peliyagoda

Two persons, including a teenager, were admitted to hospital after being shot by assailants at Poranukotuwatta, Peliyagoda last night.

Police Media Unit stated that Peliyagoda Police commenced investigations into the incident after being informed of the shooting. Initial inquiries have revealed that the shooting had been motivated by a long-standing dispute and had been carried out by two assailants.

However, the gunmen had missed their intended target, and their shots had instead struck two persons who were nearby. The victims have been identified as area residents aged 21 and 14 years. They are currently receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.

The two assailants have been identified and Peliyagoda Police are conducting investigations to arrest them.

Deputy Min.Ramanayake makes ‘astrological revelations’

Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare Ranjan Ramanayake contacted former royal astrologer, Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena, via phone and allowed the media to listen in to the conversation

A branch was opened in Tissamaharama with the arrival of Mahinda Rajapaksa, stated Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena, opening the dialogue between him and the deputy minster

“You are not aware of the money in the Lankaputhra Bank?” questioned the Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare,Ranjan Ramanayake who added that on various transactions, an individual named D.D. Upul had obtained 76 million rupees from that.And many persons from Hambantota have obtained 50 to 60 million from Galle while Salinda had also obtained 50 Million in that manner.

“I know” said Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena stating that during the latter stage there was a chairperson who came from Bank of Ceylon and this person “didn’t like working here because they had to make provisions according to the orders from above”.

The deputy minster charged that “they gave loans worth 67 millions rupees to those who worked as astrologers to the former president”

CID collects fresh evidence for Thajudeen’s case

According to information from unofficial sources, the Homicide Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is presently gathering some new evidence in relation to the murder of ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen, before going overseas to have the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage examined, Attorney-at-Law representing the Thajudeen family, A. Sathar M. Misbah said.

It was recently revealed at the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that although a month had elapsed since Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris gave the order (on January 7) to the CID to send video copies of the CCTV camera footage containing stills of the assailants of Thajudeen to the Laboratory of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America or the Forensic Video and Surveillance Technology Laboratory of British Columbia’s Institute of Technology in Canada or the Directorate of Forensic Services of the Metropolitan Police Service of the New Scotland Yard in London, England (all three institutions were suggested by the University of Colombo School of Computing {UCSC}.

The plaintiff has the prerogative to decide which one of the institutions they want the video evidence analyzed by and inform the Court of such), for further examination and analysis and to obtain a report, the footage and copies of the videos are still languishing in a safe drawer at the judiciary.

“The order has been given by the Magistrate and the Ministry of Law and Order has given the approval for the foreign involvement and travel, and the necessary allocations have also been made.
Yet the footage is still at the Court. We do not know what the reason behind this is but unofficial sources state that the Homicide Unit of the CID is gathering other evidence, upon the collection of which, they will go ahead. The four or five Officers of the Unit involved in this case will spend a week or 10 days abroad.
Currently, they do not want to break the trend that is there in the investigation. The CID has to produce a suspect or suspects. A Captain Tissa is also being looked into. Phone calls made by various people to various people and the times of the calls are being looked at. Telecommunications service provider and mobile network operator, Dialog is also cooperating.

The CID cannot and does not want to divulge any details about the new evidence, as the evidence is crucial, integral, closely monitored and must be secretive. When the case is next taken up on February 25, the CID will explain why there is a delay,” he explained.

Captain Tissa Wimalasena was a soldier in the Army who later served as a personal driver and security guard of former President
Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The CCTV camera footage collected by the CID from the scene of the crime on 2012 May 17 was sent to the UCSC for a more detailed analysis of the data, and subsequently a report and copies of the videos were produced to the Court by the UCSC on January 4 this year.

Chief Registrar of the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, Chamila Wickremathunge said that when such an order is given by a Magistrate, the Court productions (in this case kept in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court Number 3) should rightfully be sent for the relevant purpose.

She added also that the process and procedure followed in such an event could be explained only if the writer of this article arrived at the Court premises during work hours and identified himself.