News
Ex-CID Director Shani answers PCoI questions from hospital bed
… says police grilled wrong suspect over killing of two cops at Vavunativu
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Former Director of the CID Shani Abeysekera yesterday told the PCoI investigating the Easter Sunday bombings that they had realised that the Islamic terrorists were responsible for the killing of two policemen in Vavunativu only after the Easter Sunday attacks.
Abeysekera, who is currently receiving treatment at Ward 42 of the National Hospital, Colombo, testified via Skype. He had earlier contracted COVID-19.
When Abeysekera began testifying, Attorney-at-Law, Upul Kumarapperuma, appearing for the witness told the Commission that it was doubtful whether his client had adequate time to refer to documents necessary to answer the questions. He also pointed out that Abeysekera was not currently in active service.
Abeysekera told the PCoI that he had received the relevant documents only at around 12 noon yesterday. Therefore, he said, he did not have enough time to study them.
Kumarapperuma then requested the Commission to obtain Abeysekera’s evidence laster. However, the Commissioners stated the term of the PCoI ended on 31 January and it was therefore impossible to postpone the evidence to another date. The commissioners informed Abeysekera to answer questions to the best of his ability and to refer to the documents when necessary.
The commission first asked the witness about the investigations he had carried out. The incidents included the suicide bomb attack on the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1999, the murder of Yvonne Jonsson at the Royal Park apartment complex in 2005, the murder of ten people in Udathalawinna, and the murder of six people in a car at Delkanda Junction, the murder of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, the incident where 27 inmates were killed at Welikada Prison, the shooting of three persons at Rathupaswala and the abduction of Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda.
Abeysekera said that he had been appointed as the Director of the CID in 2017.
When Commissioners asked him about the murder of two Police officers in the Vavunathivu area on 30 November, 2018, Abeysekara said that the CID had taken over the investigation on the instructions of the then IGP Pujith Jayasundara. A former LTTE cadre had been questioned on detention orders in that regard, he said.
However, further investigations had revealed that the suspect was not involved in the incident. After 21 April, 2019, it had been revealed that the killing was carried out by a group on the instructions of National Thowheed Jamaat leader Zahran Hashim, Abeysekera said.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
