By Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa was noticeably evasive during the weekly media briefing when he faced a barrage of questions from journalists. Senior journalist Amal Jayasinha —well known for his sharp questioning of politicians—asked the minister about the purpose of establishing a public prosecutors office staffed by two representatives from the Attorney General’s office. Amal Jayasinha implied that, given the reservations surrounding the current Attorney General’s office, duplicating its functions seemed unnecessary.
Cabinet spokesman Minister Jayatissa responded that the newly proposed Independent Prosecutor’s Office would operate with greater capacity than the AG’s office. “It will be free of any allegations that the AG’s Department recently had to face,” he said.
Critics, however, pointed out the obvious questions: Why can’t the government address the shortcomings within the Attorney General’s office? What guarantees are there that the new Independent Prosecutor’s Office will function more effectively?
Journalists also highlighted that the justice minister—himself a lawyer—is working to safeguard the position of his fellow legal professionals by maintaining that the decisions of the AG can only be challenged through a proper legal procedure, rather than by intervention from the cabinet of ministers or the public.
Lasantha Wickramatunga murder case
In another line of questioning, a journalist inquired about the three suspects in the Lasantha Wickramatunga murder case. Specifically, the query focused on whether all suspects had been acquitted, and if so, on whom further investigations would be carried out. The minister offered no specific details, instead providing a stock response that the government remains committed to a fair and independent investigation into the case.
While there is no dispute that the government seeks justice for the victims, some in the media remain skeptical about whether all factions within the government share that same objective. Ultimately, the media minister continued to skirt around the issue—beating around the proverbial mulberry bush—concluding with a vague “watch and see” that everything will eventually fall into place.
In a related announcement, the government clarified that the position of the Attorney General, along with the AG’s Department, will not be abolished with the creation of the proposed Independent Prosecutor’s Office. Cabinet spokesman Minister Jayatissa reiterated that Cabinet decisions have been made to ensure the new body delivers justice to the people more efficiently, and stressed that it would be free of the controversies that have recently plagued the AG’s Department.
As debates continue over the restructuring of the prosecution system, many are left wondering whether these changes will truly resolve the deep-rooted issues or merely add another layer to an already complex legal landscape.
