Sunday Times 2
Police Commission makes confusion more confounded
In the Sunday Times 2 of January 31, 2016, in my article, “Misinformation playing havoc in the country,” I had set out the fact that the National Police Commission,(NPC) is not mandated to investigate into complaints. This was on information I received from reliable sources in the NPC and supported by relevant provisions in the Constitution.
National Police Commission Secretary Ariyadasa Cooray: Is the NPC going beyond its mandate?
In the same newspaper on page 8 there is a news item titled, “NPC to release interim report on Embilipitiya incident next week.” Quoting the NPC Secretary Ariyadasa Cooray, the news item reports: “A three-member team from the NPC has been dispatched to Embilipitiya to conduct separate investigations, where they will record statements from the Police as well as witnesses to the incident.” Quoting the NPC Secretary further, the news item reports: “The report handed over to the IGP on the incident was inconclusive and recommended further investigations, and hence the NPC is pursuing another investigation.”
Contacted by me, my source who is a member of the NPC, informed me that the NPC Secretary has got it wrong. The three-member team has been sent on a ‘fact finding mission’ and not to ‘investigate’ as such. It appears that the NPC Secretary does not know the difference between a ‘fact finding mission’ and an ‘investigation’ under the code of criminal procedure, where the evidence recorded is admissible in a court of law. A fact finding mission of the NPC is only to acquaint itself of the general situation and nothing more.
It is rather baffling that the NPC is not putting the record straight forthwith, but continues to work lethargically in water-tight compartments. Due to the importance of the Police function to the public, the National Police Commission was appointed. Half baked news releases such as this by the NPC Secretary, is making confusion more confounded, especially on topics of high public interest as the Embilipitiya debacle.
The same news item quotes the law and order Minister Sagala Ratnayake, telling parliament that “Until a final report of the investigation is submitted, it is difficult to conclude the circumstances that led to the death of 29 year old Sumith Prasanna. The facts could change as the investigation progresses.” Now this is very balanced information that also exposes the absurdity of the irresponsible misinformation spewed out by some lawyers who informed the media earlier that evidence to prove a charge of murder is available – while the magisterial inquiry had not even concluded.
In the meantime Government leaders are only interested in consolidating their political power through horse deals and the like and not in the lack of law and order in the country. Wither Yahapalanaya?
(Tassie Seneviratne is a Retired Senior Superintendent of Police)