Columns

The recent shooting of suspect Ganemulla Sanjeewa within the precincts of the Magistrates Court of Colombo serves as a stark reminder of the escalating crime wave gripping the nation. The audacity of carrying out a killing in a highly secured environment underscores a dangerous shift in criminal behavior and a broader erosion of the rule of law.

The brass of criminals to execute a murder within court premises, where security is expected to be at its highest, suggests a growing sense of impunity. This act undermines public trust in the justice system. The fact that the perpetrators were undeterred by the high risks involved in committing a murder in such a setting highlights the extreme stakes of criminal activities today. 

Concerns have been raised regarding how the assailants bypassed security measures, given the high level of planning and execution involved. One does not have to go far to find answers to this question. The gunman and his accomplice simply took advantage of the fact that lawyers are not subject to physical searches before entering the Court premises.

The Colombo Magistrates Court is one of the most crowded locations within the judicial infrastructure, with litigants often having to wait outside the respective court house until their cases are called. While security screenings of litigants are already in place, additional measures such as metal detectors and advanced surveillance technologies may have to be introduced to enhance security without causing excessive inconvenience to litigants as well as lawyers.

Deploying armed officers inside courtrooms to ensure the security of high-risk detainees may not be sufficient to neutralize threats by emboldened criminals but could also endanger innocent litigants and witnesses caught in potential crossfire. Therefore, a balanced approach to security enforcement is crucial.

The pattern of targeted killings, particularly through shootings, points to the growing influence of the narcotics trade and ongoing gang wars. The fact that such a crime was carried out in a court setting suggests that criminal elements no longer fear legal repercussions, further exacerbating perceptions of a lawless state.

The arrest of police officers in connection with both the Ganemulla Sanjeewa killing and the Middeniya shooting highlights the depth of criminal infiltration into law enforcement. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake himself has drawn attention to this issue, reinforcing the need for urgent institutional reforms.

Several recent high-profile incidents illustrate this growing trend: Two policemen were arrested in connection with the triple murder in Middeniya and the killing of Ganemulla Sanjeewa. A policeman who aided an abortive underworld operation to free a notorious criminal, Harakkata, was extradited from India. A former Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) was sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment for illegally releasing a suspect involved in a 2015 gang rape and murder. A constable who disappeared with his assault rifle was apprehended.

These instances suggest that many more officers may be complicit in criminal activities, alongside military deserters and serving armed forces personnel who have been recruited into underworld operations.

Previous efforts to combat the drug menace have often been more about optics than real impact. The widely publicized Yukthiya programme under the previous administration primarily targeted drug users rather than dismantling the larger networks behind drug trafficking. This failure to address the root causes has allowed drug-related crime to flourish.

A few features reflective of the Crime Wave are worth noting.

Geographical concentration of crime: A significant portion of these killings occur in the Southern and Western provinces, necessitating targeted law enforcement interventions in these regions. Overseas control of drug cartels: Many drug barons operate from abroad—especially from Dubai—directing criminal enterprises and contract killings while sometimes such contracts originate even from prison cells in Sri Lanka.

Proliferation of firearms: Decades of state-sanctioned firearm distribution have resulted in the ready availability of an unregulated pool of weapons for use by criminal elements.

In order to curb the crime wave several measures should be put in place without delay. A comprehensive reform is needed to ensure the police and other law enforcement agencies act independently and are not compromised by criminal elements.

Law enforcement should focus on dismantling supply chains and extraditing drug lords operating from abroad rather than merely arresting low-level dealers and users.

The government’s initiative to collect illegal firearms should be enforced more rigorously, with a nationwide campaign to disarm civilians in illegal possession of weapons.

Steps must be taken to depoliticise law enforcement, eliminate corruption, and introduce strict punitive measures against officers engaged in criminal activities.

Crime should not be politicised. Opposition parties must provide constructive support for crime-fighting initiatives which is of national importance resisting the temptation to use these incidents for political gains.

The provision of firearms to private individuals as a substitute for state protection should be discontinued. Instead, a proper threat assessment mechanism should be established and those who need protection must be given such protection by state security agencies and not be provided with arms to protect themselves.

The increase in gun violence has also resulted in the deaths of innocent bystanders as well little children as seen in the Middeniya shooting where two children lost their lives resulting in trauma and shock to family members.

The killing of Ganemulla Sanjeewa within court premises must serve as a turning point for Sri Lanka’s law enforcement authorities. Recognising the severity of the issue, the Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara has proposed the following measures:

A special committee will be appointed to consult relevant stakeholders and establish security measures inside court premises when high-risk detainees are present. Such a committee can go into all aspects of security measures necessary to ensure the safety of all those who attend court.

This committee will also have to look into and suggest measures to address the security needs of the Judiciary who must feel safe and secure to dispense justice without fear. Enhanced security screening procedures is to be introduced in coordination with the Judicial Service Commission, the Police, and the Bar Association. Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code are to be enacted to allow high-risk detainees to participate in court proceedings remotely via video link, reducing the need for their physical presence in courtrooms.

The infiltration of criminal elements into law enforcement, the unchecked spread of narcotics, and the increasing gun violence pose a severe threat to the security of the citizenry. Immediate, decisive, and sustained efforts are necessary to restore the rule of law and protect citizens from escalating violence. If left unaddressed, the continued deterioration of security will not only weaken public trust in the justice system but also embolden criminals, pushing the nation further into lawlessness. In this regard action in two critical areas are needed urgently , namely, completely eliminate the drug trade from where the spate of killings originate and curb the proliferation of arms in the hands of civilians.(javidyusuf@gmail.com)