Duminda Silva seeks to overturn death sentence

Former parliamentarian Duminda Silva, who was convicted for the murder of former MP Baratha Lakshman Premachandra, filed an appeal before the Colombo High Court’s registrar office today, challenging the judgment of Colombo High Court.

The Colombo High Court, on September 8,  sentenced to death four persons, including former MP Duminda Silva, for the murder of Baratha Lakshman on October 8, 2011, in a shoot-out in Mulleriyava.

The three others sentenced - Anura Thushara de Mel, Chaminda Ravi Jayanath alias ‘Dematagoda Chaminda’ and Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Sarath Bandara filed separate appeals on Tuesday (September 20), seeking to revoke the judgemnet made by the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar.

The verdict delivered by the  trial-at-bar was divided two to one, with judges Padmini N. Ranawaka and M.C.B.S. Moreis finding the five accused guilty on 10 counts including committing and conspiring to commit murder of four people, while Justice Shiran Gunaratne, President of Colombo High Court trial-at-bar found the thirteen accused not guilty of all seventeen charges.

The appeals of the four sentences  will be referred to the Supreme Court in due course.

Aluthgamage Remanded Further

Former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was further remanded till September 27 by Colombo Magistrate Courts after the CID informed court that investigations into the alleged financial misconduct by him are still being continued.

Aluthgamage was arrested on September 15 for alleged financial fraud concerning the purchase of a house in Kynsey Road, Colombo.

The CID today informed that six cases of fraud, including one regarding a property in London are being probed. In the case regarding the property in London, Aluthgamage had claimed that his brother gave him money. However, there were no records of the transaction to be found as per now, the CID said.

According to the law such a transaction of foreign money had to be declared to the state.

Meanwhile, 51 construction projects under the Sports Ministry have to be investigated, the CID said, adding that 40 of these cases are yet to be looked into.

Basil’s Malwana property to be confiscated?

The FCID is to ask the Pugoda magistrate’s court today (22) for permission to confiscate the house at Malwana in Gampaha said to have been owned by former minister Basil Rajapaksa, say police sources. 

The FCID has questioned Rajapaksa in connection with the property, and also arrested him. He was later released on bail. A decision has also been taken to confiscate his properties in Kaduwela and Brown’s Hill in Matara.

Ramith Rambukwella arrested for drunk driving

Cricketer Ramith Rambukwella has been arrested by the police following a road accident near Independence Avenue in Colombo 7,  a short while ago. 

The official added that Ramith Rambukwella was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. The cricketer was arrested early hours of this morning. He is the second cricketer to be arrested over a road accident this week. Cricketer Nuwan Kulasekera was arrested earlier this week over a road accident in Kadawatha and was released on bail later.

Hambantota Escaped youth : Siblings remanded

The three siblings including the brother and sister of escapee G.G. Gayan, were arrested for aiding and abetting him to be in hiding for nine days after escaping from the custody of the Hambantota Police, were remanded till September 30, when they were produced before the Hambantota Magistrate yesterday.

The arrested siblings are G.G. Suranga Kumara of the Police STF, G. G. Roshan Kumara and Nimali of Yahangala, Bandagiriya.
Rejecting the bail application made by their counsel Chaminda Sooriyapatabendi, the Judge observed that it was wrong to aid a person to escape police custody, knowing that he was a wanted person.

The Magistrate also acceeded to a request made by the Tangalle Division Crime Investigation unit and ordered Hiru, Derana and Sirasa television channels to hand over the unedited video clips regarding the incident to the Tangalle Police to help in the investigation.

President Sirisena addresses the 71st session of UNGA

President Maithripala Sirisena, addressing the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, said his government had taken steps to to strengthen democracy, rule of law and good governance in Sri Lanka.

"We want to create a better country for our people. To achieve these, I need the assistance of the international community," the President said, in his speech, early this morning.

"I am totally committed to eradicate drugs. As the President of Brazil said this morning, illicit drugs have become the most serious challenge faced by our societies today. Unless we take early steps to stop the menace of drugs we will be faced with a catastrophe of unprecedented magnitude. The harm caused to the people, especially the young students by illicit drugs is very serious. We have to eradicate drugs and ensure that illicit drugs would not reach our countries," he also added.

The full speech made by the President is as follows,

"I am extremely happy to take part in this 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. I wish to bring to the notice of Your Excellencies the current situation in my country. I have been in power for the last 15 months. There are many problems in my country.

We have, in recent months, taken many important steps for socio-economic transformation. Before I came to power, people in my country were living in fear and I ended that period and made the people free of fear, established rule of law and restored democratic rights.

My intention is to make peole of Sri Lanka one of the happiest among the world communities by establishing a knowledge-based society. I am determined to alleviate poverty in my country. For that purpose I have declared 2017 as the Year of Alleviation of Poverty.

In order to improve the living standards of our people, we have to provide better facilities for economic development. I have given the topmost priority to take my country forward by working in cooperation with the United Nations and its agencies and other institutions. We have to make necessary changes to achieve sustainable development. The priority areas of the government include establishment of a knowledge-based economy with new initiatives and creation of a green economy.

As an Island-Nation, Sri Lanka wishes to make maximum utility of sea resources, fisheries and marine resources. All these require new technology and we seek the support of the international community for these purposes. Sri Lanka is a country with free education and free health services and the country has all the basic infrastructure requirements for speedy development.

The world today is full of hate, violence and fear. We must free our people from such hatred and fear and establish a society with moral values. The government is totally committed to reconciliation process to establish lasting peace. That would definitely prevent occurance of another war in our country. Terrorism lasting three decades has ended and now we have undertaken the process of reconciliation among the different communities. We require the support of the international community to successfully face these challenges.

Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country, where Theravada Buddhism is practiced. There are solutions in Buddhist teachings to most of the problems faced by the people in this world. Similarly, those who follow other religions like Hinduism, Islam and Christianity too can find answers to these problems by these great religious philosophies.

I am totally committed to eradicate drugs. As the President of Brazil said this morning, illicit drugs have become the most serious challenge faced by our societies today. Unless we take early steps to stop the menace of drugs we will be faced with a catastrophe of unprecedented magnitude. The harm caused to the people, especially the young students by illicit drugs is very serious. We have to eradicate drugs and ensure that illicit drugs would not reach our countries.

We have taken effective steps to strengthen democracy, rule of law and good governance in our country. We want to create a better country for our people. To achieve these, I need the assistance of the international community.

Different countries have their own unique authentic thinking. We too have such authentic thinkings and visions. I want to create a country, in which our people can live as better humans and I need your support for this endeavour.

I wish to take this opportunity to express appreciation about the services rendered by the outgoing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. He provided and excellent service to the entire world.

I would like to metion that my desire is to arm the new generation with knowledge and modern technology. I will do my duties and fulfill my responsibilities towards my people and I seek your assistance and blessings of you all for this task.

Thank you

May the Triple Gem bless you!"

Harin requests Ravi to remove VAT on smartphones

Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando said that he had suggested to Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake to remove VAT and other taxes imposed on smartphones in the next budget proposal.

This measure is taken aiming to bend people towards digital technology and make more room for   them to access the digitalised services easily,he said.

“While forwarding proposals for the next budget, I requested the Finance Minister to exempt VAT and other levies imposed on smartphones aiming to bring the price of smartphone down,” he said.

The smartphone usage in the country is around 30 per cent by now and it has been planned to increase the usage rapidly. There is a trend in the world to digitalise many of services provided to the people and therefore the usage of smartphone should be increased. In this context the smartphone has become a vital gadget to access those services easily.

Meanwhile the Telecommunication and Digital InfrastructureMinistry is conducting a study to increase the usage of data communication instead of voice communication. In many developed countries data communication is higher than voice communication, the minister said.

When he was asked if call charges in Sri Lanka will go up with the court decision on VAT, Minister Fernando said the call charges of the country is still low compared to many other countries.

MR, an expert  in splitting  parties- Harin

Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando said that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is an expert in splitting political parties and his political career is   filled with such incidents.

“It is a pathetic situation that Rajapaksa has sought the assistance of Wimal Weerawansa and Gammanpila to split his own political party – the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP),” he said.

Minister Fernando was addressing the media at Sirikotha yesterday.

“When considering Rajapaksa’s political career, he has split and tried to ruin many political parties such as the United National Party (UNP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), with the aim of strengthening his political power and for his political survival.But, now he is trying to split the SLFP along with Weerawansa and Gammanpila,” he said.

He said that Chief Incumbent of the Malwatte Chapter Most. Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddartha Sumangala Thera advised Weerawansa not to level baseless allegations on the new Constitution, which has not been finalised yet, when he(Weerawansa) was trying to create a wrong picture about the new Constitution,which is still at the discussion stage.

Speaking on the political transformation with the advent of the new government, Fernando said there are many fruitful outcomes. There are no vehicle rallies unlike during the previous government. But, he admitted that there are certain defects with this government also.

Minister Fernando said that certain former Ministers including Bandula Gunawardena are shedding crocodile tears for the Security Forces personnel. But,they did not utter a single word when the former Army Commander was sent to prison

“Gunawardena and a few other former Ministers are collecting money for an Army Major, who was convicted by courts. That Major was ordered to pay Rs 2 million and now these former Ministers who are accused of misusing millions of rupees are collecting money for his well-being while shedding crocodile tears for Army personnel. This Major was taken into custody in 2000 in connection with a crime alleged to have been committed by him in 1998. The case was heard since 2000 and a court verdict was announced recently,” he said.

SF’s language causes a stir in House

Rural Development Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka yesterday caused furore in by using unparliamentary language when he spoke of former President and MP Mahinda Rajapaksa, MP Namal Rajapaksa, MP Wimal Weerawansa, MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage and a Minister.

Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala directed that certain statements made by Minister Fonseka be expunged.

The former Army Commander lashed out at the Minister over the Avant Garde affair.