The case file of former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Washington, DC, Jaliya Chithran Wickramasooriya—sentenced in the United States last month for fraud—offers insight into just how far administrations in Colombo will go to try and protect their own.
It was never in question that Mr Wickramasooriya, a cousin of Presidents Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, had committed the crimes for which he was indicted in the US. His main argument was that he was entitled to immunity for them, as they had been carried out while he was ambassador.
But Mr Wickramasooriya’s immunity had been removed on October 23, 2017, on a US State Department request. The waiver, contained in a diplomatic note or “note verbale”, was signed by Prasad Kariyawasam, then Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the instructions of then President Maithiripala Sirisena.
Lanka is rife with nepotism. Part of the culture. Country will always be at the bottom. The day all the old culture is let go we might get to improved situation like Singapore. 100 years ago that country did not exist, but by having minded laws they improved. There is much bad there, however favouring family for government business is not allowed in anyway.
A Thai woman walking topless in Arugam Bay town has been arrested by the Police.
The UK government has unveiled a package of reforms to simplify imports from developing countries which allows for more garments manufactured in Sri Lanka to enter the UK tariff-free.
The Cabinet has approved a proposal for Sri Lankans overseas to apply for their passports through an online system via the Lankan diplomatic missions.
Villagers in Nirmalapura, Daluwa, Norochcholai today staged a protest over an incident where a group of Navy officials and sailors had assaulted a resident in the area over night, Police said.
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