Palitha Thewarapperum and Prasana suspended one week

The Parliament has recommended parliamentarians Palitha Thewarapperum (UNP) and Prasana Ranaweera (UPFA) who assaulted UNP Kegalle District MP Sandith Samarasinghe be suspended from Parliament for one week.

Yesterday, a report was presented to the Speaker of the House regarding the clash that took place in Parliament. The report recommended that severe disciplinary action be taken against parliamentarians Palitha Thewarapperum (UNP) and Prasana Ranaweera (UPFA).

Pandemonium broke out in Parliament when Joint Opposition and government members exchanged blows in the Well of the House around 1.30 p.m. causing injuries to several MPs and one of them being admitted to the Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital.

Parliamentary sources revealed that UNP Kegalle District MP Sandith Samarasinghe was admitted to hospital while UPFA Gampaha district MP Prasanna Ranaweera too suffered injuries.

Geetha sacked as Co-Chairman of the Galle District Coordination Committee

Galle District UPFA and SLFP MP Geetha Kumarasinghe, the recently sacked Bentara-Elpitiya electoral organizer, has also been relieved of her position as Co-Chairman of the Galle District Coordination Committee.

The controversial MP has been replaced by UPFA / SLFP Galle District MP and Minister of Petroleum and Petroleum Gas, Chandima Weerakkody with the appointment being ratified by President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday. 

Weerakkody, who is also currently the Co-Chairman of the Imaduwa and Habaraduwa Coordination Committee, will also function as the Co-Chairman of the SLFP Regional Coordination Committees of Bope, Poddala, Akmeemana, Welivitiya and Diwithura respectively.


Meanwhile, MP Kumarasinghe has been relieved of her Co-Chairmanship of the Coordination Committees of Bentota, Elpitiya and Hikkaduwa. That position has been given to Chief Minister of the Southern Province Shan Wijeyalal de Silva on the orders of the President.

Bharatha Lakshman murder case ; Duminda Silva claims innocence

Making a dock statement in connection with the Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra murder case, UPFA former MP Duminda Silva informed Colombo High Court that he is innocent of all 17 charges made against him including committing the murder of four persons including former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.

Former MP Duminda Silva, the eleventh accused in the case requested the Trial-at-Bar bench that he be acquitted and released from all charges levelled against him.

The former MP further informed Court that he was elected to the Western Provincial Council in 2004 securing the highest number of preferential votes from the Colombo District under UNP ticket. He further said he was also elected as a Parliamentarian during the 2010 General Election securing the highest number of preferential votes from the Colombo District.

Meanwhile, Vincent Premalal Silva, the father of Duminda Silva also gave evidence before the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar, as a defence witness.

The special Trial-at-Bar comprised three High Court Judges - Shiran Gunaratne, Pathmini N. Ranawaka and C. B. S. Moreis.

The Trial-at-Bar hearing has concluded prosecution’s evidence in connection with the murder case and the defence evidence are currently being heard.

It has taken the prosecution 48 days to present the case against 13 accused including former UPFA Parliamentarian Duminda Silva.

The Attorney General had called 42 witnesses and presented in Courts 126 documents including the Government Analyst's reports and JMO reports.

The accused who were indicted before the Colombo High Court were; Anura Thushara De Mel, Chandana Jagath Kumara, Chaminda Ravi Jayanath, Lanka Rasanjana, Malaka Sameera, Vidanagamage Amila, Sarath Bandara, Suranga Premalal, Saman Kumara Abeysinghe, Janaka Bandara, Duminda Silva, Rohana Marasinghe and Nagoda Liyanarachchige Chaminda.

The accused had been charged over the killing of Premachandra, Dharshana Jayathilaka, Mohamed Azmy and Manimel Kumaraswamy and inflicting gunshot injuries on Premachandra’s bodyguard Rajapurage Gamini after being the members of an unlawful assembly on October 8, 2011 at Walpola, Mulleriyawa.

School Girl Bites Off Man's Tongue at Mawathagama

A 15-year-old schoolgirl who had bitten off a part of the tongue of a youth who attempted to molest her visited the Mawathagama police with her parents and handed over the half inch piece of the tongue in a bottle. 

Police immediatly dispatched it to the Mawathagama District Hospital to be rejoined if possible. The schoolgirl residing at Pusseliyedda area was a year-ten student of a school in the area. 

Investigations revealed that her parents had been away from home when the suspect had forcibly entered the house and attempted to take liberties with her. However when he kissed her she had bitten his tongue severing it in the scuffle. 

The youth had fled from the scene when he found his tongue seriously injured. Police investigations led to the arrest of a youth living in the area on suspicion but found nothing wrong with his tongue released him. Mawathagama Police OIC Lalith Sandasiri Bandara is conducting further investigations and hopes to arrest the absconding suspect soon.

Committee recommends severe disciplinary action against two MPs

The report that was presented to the Speaker of the House regarding yesterday’s clash in Parliament has recommend severe disciplinary action be taken against parliamentarians Palitha Thewarapperum (UNP) and Prasana Ranaweera (UPFA).

Yesterday (3), pandemonium broke out in Parliament when Joint Opposition and government members exchanged blows in the Well of the House around 1.30 p.m. causing injuries to several MPs and one of them being admitted to the Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital.

Parliamentary sources revealed that UNP Kegalle District MP Sandith Samarasinghe was admitted to hospital while UPFA Gampaha district MP Prasanna Ranaweera too suffered injuries.

SLFP To Take Action Against MPs Involved In Clash

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party will take strict action against MPs who were involved in the clash in Parliament yesterday, party Treasurer S.B. Dissanayake said.

Minister Dissanayake told media today that the party has the right to take disciplinary action against such erring MPs.

The MPs could face possible expulsion from the party.

Meanwhile, a report on the clash between MPs was handed over to the Speaker a short while ago by Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala and Deputy Chairman of the Committees Selvam Adaikkalanathan.

The Speaker called for the report yesterday following the clash between 'Joint Opposition' MPs and the UNP MPs. One UNP MP was admitted to hospital following the clash.

The clash occurred when Minister of Regional Development Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka spoke on the reduction of security to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The 'Joint Opposition' meanwhile said that the clash was started by Deputy Minister Palitha Thewarapperuma who allegedly attacked UPFA MP Prasanna Ranaweera.

Offensive Google Play App let users torture Mahinda

An android game named “Torture Him” available at the Google Play Store has garnered severe criticism from many sectors for enabling its players to torture a character based on former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The android game depicts a caricature of current parliamentarian Mahinda Rajapaksa and lets its users torture the character using shoes, syringes, electricity, a noose and other torture devices.

While over 1000 users have down voted the android game giving it a single star, over 500 users have ranked to between 2 -5 stars. According to stats provided by Google Play Store the app had been updated on January 10, 2016, while approximately 50,000 - 100,000 users have installed the game in their devices.

Social media post too can be seen circulating creating awareness regarding this application and requesting users to report and down vote the application. Many social media users have described the android game as vile, unethical and offensive. Attempts to contact the publishers of the game was unsuccessful.

UNP MP Sandith Samarasinghe Hospitalized Following Brawl In Parliament

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya adjourned Parliament until tomorrow and called for a report from the Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Chairman of Committees in connection with the tense situation which had occurred at the Parliament on Tuesday. 

He also informed Parliament that suitable action would be instigated against the MPs involved in the incident.   Parliament proceedings were initially suspended for five minutes due to the tense situation within the chambers which ended in fisticuffs between two groups of MPs.

 Afterwards the Speaker adjourned Parliament till tomorrow (4) citing the inability to continue with proceedings amidst such incidents.  

Cabinet Minister for Regional Development Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka was delivering a statement regarding the decision to replace the military security of the former President with police personnel when certain opposition MPs raised objections and a brawl ensued.  

UNP Kegalle District MP Sandith Samarasinghe has been hospitalised following the incident. It has been reported that he was injured as a result of the altercation between government and opposition MPs.  Some 50 army personnel assigned for the security detail of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa were withdrawn yesterday. 

They were replaced by trained police personnel form the VIP security unit.