By Sri Lanka’s Bar Association president, Anura Maddegoda, has sparked a storm of criticism following his defense of Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe, who recently reversed his controversial decision to discharge key suspects in the assassination of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge. Maddegoda’s defense of Ranasinghe has ignited a firestorm of accusations of hypocrisy and double standards, particularly after he had criticized the same Attorney General for a similar action last year.
On 27 January 2025, Ranasinghe ordered the release of three significant suspects linked to Wickrematunge’s murder, a move that caused outrage across the nation. Public backlash was swift and intense, and within weeks, on 11 February, the Attorney General’s office issued a reversal of the decision after a wave of protests. This reversal, however, did little to quell public anger, with many accusing the AG of obstructing justice in one of Sri Lanka’s most high-profile murder cases.
Maddegoda, as the president of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), has been at the center of the storm. His defense of Ranasinghe has been questioned by critics, particularly given his past stance on a similar case involving one of his clients. Last year, when the Attorney General took similar action in a murder case involving one of Maddegoda’s clients, the Bar Association president was quick to decry the decision, calling it an obstruction of justice and demanding executive review. In stark contrast, when Ranasinghe made the same decision in the Wickrematunge case, Maddegoda came to his defense, causing many to accuse him of applying a double standard.
The specific case in question involves Premanand Udalagama, a former military intelligence officer, and Prasanna Nanayakkara, who was the Deputy Inspector General of the area at the time. Both men had been remanded in connection with the Wickrematunge murder and the subsequent sabotage of the investigation. Sugathapala, the Officer-in-Charge of the Mount Lavinia police crime unit, who had confessed to falsifying records under Nanayakkara’s orders, was also included in the AG’s discharge order. However, following public outcry, the decision to release the suspects was swiftly reversed.
Lasantha Wickrematunge’s daughter, Ahimsa, has since become one of the most vocal critics of Maddegoda’s actions. In a poignant four-page letter dated February 2025, Ahimsa questioned Maddegoda’s defense of the Attorney General, accusing him of hypocrisy and a blatant double standard. She highlighted Maddegoda’s earlier protests when the Attorney General’s actions had interfered with a murder investigation involving one of his own clients. “Your decision to protest the alleged undermining of the independence of the office of the Attorney General when it comes to a flagrant abuse of his power in my father’s case is rich in hypocrisy,” Ahimsa wrote.
In her letter, Ahimsa also pointed to the apparent inconsistency in Maddegoda’s actions, questioning why the Bar Association had taken swift action when it involved one of his clients, yet remained largely silent when the same Attorney General interfered in the investigation into her father’s murder. “Why is it that when the Attorney General sabotaged a murder investigation into one of your clients, you called it ‘obstruction of justice,’ sought executive review, and the Bar Association remained silent when you obtained it?” she asked. “Why is it that when that same Attorney General sought to intervene in and unravel the investigation into one of the most critical aspects of my father’s murder, and I sought executive support to save the investigation, you and the Bar Association suddenly sprang into action in his defence?”
Maddegoda and the Bar Association have yet to respond publicly to Ahimsa’s accusations. However, reports circulating on social media suggest that Maddegoda has withdrawn from his bid for re-election as the president of the BASL, which is set to hold elections on Wednesday. Whether his withdrawal is related to the ongoing controversy remains unclear, but the developments have certainly cast a shadow over his leadership.
As the saga unfolds, the public remains divided, with many questioning the integrity of Sri Lanka’s legal and political institutions. The reversal of the Attorney General’s decision, while hailed as a victory by some, has done little to heal the deep wounds surrounding the case of Lasantha Wickrematunge’s murder. It is clear that the demands for justice, both in the courtroom and on the streets, are only growing louder.
This latest chapter in the pursuit of justice for Lasantha Wickrematunge serves as a reminder of the long road ahead for those fighting for accountability, transparency, and an independent judiciary in Sri Lanka. And as the Bar Association’s leadership grapples with its own internal conflicts, it remains to be seen whether the legal community will rise to the challenge of restoring public trust.
