Media outraged as AG moves to free suspects in Lasantha Wickrematunge murder

A wave of strong opposition has erupted from Sri Lankan media rights groups following the Attorney General’s recommendation to halt legal proceedings against three key suspects in the murder case of renowned journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge.

Several press organizations have urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to uphold his election promises to ensure justice for journalists who have been killed or abducted.

The Free Media Movement (FMM), the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), the Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Union (FMETU), and the Young Journalists Association – Sri Lanka (YJA-SL) have collectively condemned the Attorney General’s (AG) decision.

In separate statements, they criticized the AG’s letter to the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), instructing that no further legal action be taken against the three suspects: Staff Sergeant Prem Ananda Udalagama of the Army Intelligence Unit, former Officer-in-Charge of Crimes at the Mount Lavinia Police, Sub Inspector Tissasiri Sugathapala, and retired Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Prasanna Nanayakkara.

The AG’s letter, dated January 27, 2025, was also copied to the Mount Lavinia Magistrate, requesting an update on actions taken following the recommendation.

This move has sparked concerns regarding accountability and the rule of law, particularly as it comes just days after the commemoration of ‘Black January,’ a period marking attacks against journalists, including Wickrematunge’s brutal assassination in 2009.

In the early hours of January 8, 2009, Lasantha Wickrematunge, the editor of The Sunday Leader newspaper, was assassinated on his way to work in Attidiya.

The murder was believed to have been carried out by two individuals on a motorcycle who had been following his vehicle that fateful day.

Investigations later revealed that Wickrematunge had recorded the registration number of a motorcycle in his notebook just minutes before his tragic killing.

Who Are the Individuals Involved?

• Prem Ananda Udalagama, a former member of the Army Intelligence Unit, was accused of abducting and threatening Lasantha Wickrematunge’s driver, Devamullage Karunaratne. He has also been implicated in the abduction and assault of journalists Keith Noyahr and Upali Tennakoon.
• Tissasiri Sugathapala, the former Officer-in-Charge of Crimes at Mount Lavinia Police, and Prasanna Nanayakkara, a retired Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, were both accused of destroying key evidence, including notes from Wickrematunge’s diary found in his vehicle at the time of his murder.

AG’s Justification for Dropping Charges

The AG’s Department cited insufficient evidence as the basis for discontinuing legal action. According to the letter, Lasantha Wickrematunge’s driver initially identified Udalagama in a police lineup but later claimed that CID officers had shown him Udalagama prior to the formal identification process.

Additionally, the AG’s Department noted a lack of substantial evidence to proceed with criminal charges against Sugathapala and Nanayakkara.

Revelations in Court

During the trial proceedings on June 1, 2018, Attorney-at-Law Rasika Weerasuriya, representing Tissasiri Sugathapala, made significant disclosures regarding the second and third suspects.

He stated that Prasanna Nanayakkara, who was the DIG in charge of the area at the time, had threatened his client, warning him not to investigate motorcycle numbers recorded in Wickrematunge’s diary.

The lawyer further revealed that Nanayakkara had allegedly warned Sugathapala that if the investigations continued, he and his family could suffer the same fate as Wickrematunge.

Consequently, the diary and related reports were handed over to Nanayakkara, obstructing crucial leads in the investigation.

Government Response

Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa announced on February 5, 2025 that the government is currently reviewing the Attorney General’s recommendation.

Meanwhile, media activists have called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to intervene and ensure that justice prevails.

The SLWJA, in a statement undersigned by President Duminda Sampath and Secretary Ranga Bandaranayake, reminded the President of his campaign pledge to penalize those responsible for crimes against journalists and uphold judicial independence.

The FMETU, represented by President Dharmasiri Lankapeli and National Organizer Tharindu Uduwaragedara, expressed deep concerns over the AG’s decision, especially in a government elected with a strong mandate to hold perpetrators accountable. Similarly, the YJA-SL, led by President Tharindu Jayawardena, questioned the timing of the Attorney General’s letter, issued just days after Wickrematunge’s assassination anniversary.

In light of the mounting criticism, FMM Convener Lasantha De Silva confirmed that a formal letter has been sent to President Dissanayake, urging his immediate intervention in the matter.

The controversy surrounding the case has reignited calls for transparency, accountability, and justice for one of Sri Lanka’s most high-profile journalist murders.