By AG Orders Fresh Probe into Lasantha Wickrematunge Murder
The Attorney General (AG) is set to issue a new directive to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to reopen the probe into the assassination of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunge.
This decision follows mounting public criticism over the AG’s recent recommendation to release three suspects who had been arrested on suspicion of abducting Wickrematunge’s driver and tampering with evidence.
During a high-level discussion on Friday between Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the AG informed the President and senior government officials that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with legal action against the suspects. However, he emphasized that if new material emerges, the individuals who were discharged could still face charges in the future.
The AG’s Department, in a media statement, clarified that in 2015—six years after the murder—Wickrematunge’s driver had provided a fresh statement to the CID, claiming he was abducted in late 2009. Based on this, an investigation was launched, leading to court submissions and the naming of Prema Ananda Udalagama as a suspect. However, due to legal deficiencies in the identification process, he was later discharged.
Similarly, Tissasiri Sugathapala and Prasanna Nanayakkara—arrested in connection with a missing document from Wickrematunge’s vehicle—were also released due to a lack of conclusive evidence.
With renewed public pressure and concerns over justice for the slain journalist, the AG’s latest directive signals a potential breakthrough in the long-stalled investigation.
