Ranjan apologizes to those harmed by release of phone recordings

Former Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake today (21) apologized to all those who had been harmed as a result of recordings of their phone conversations with him being publicly leaked. 

Speaking during the Parliamentary debate this afternoon, Mr Ramanayake said he never intended to make recordings of his phone conversations public. "The recordings were seized by police from my home violating my privileges as an MP. I only kept them for my own protection as this is a country where people constantly change their words from what they said earlier," he said. 

Mr Ramanayake claimed he recorded his phone calls as part of his crusade against corruption. "With all my heart, I apologize to those who have been harmed by the release of these recordings. I never intended for the recordings to be used to cause harm."

The former deputy minister also said he was tabling recordings of all his phone conversations in Parliament as currently, interested groups were selectively leaking only recordings that were deemed advantages to them. 

The UNP MP, who is currently in remand custody over allegations he attempted to influence the judiciary, was brought to Parliament by prison officials in a prison bus today to attend sittings. 

Speaking further during a speech that lasted almost 30 minutes, Mr Ramanayake also challenged the Government to appoint a Presidential Commission to investigate his leaked phone recordings. "I have seen Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa say that the Government is thinking of appointing a commission to probe the issue. I fully support this and am willing to appear before the commission with all the information I have," he stressed.