News
Presidential pardon for Royal Park murderer: Ven. Rathana denies Sirisena’s accusations, lodges complaint with CID
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Ven. Athureliya Rathana Thera, MP, yesterday (23) denied that he had financially benefited from arranging a presidential pardon for convicted killer Jude Shramantha Anthony Jayamaha.
‘Our Power of People Party’ (OPPP) National List lawmaker Ven. Rathana said that he hadn’t received a cent from Jude Shramantha’s family or any other benefit.
An irate MP said so when The Island sought his response to ex-President Maithripala Sirisena’s recent declaration that those who had sought his intervention on behalf of Jude Shramantha received a massive amount of money.
Sirisena made the allegation in a live interview after having claimed that Ven. Rathana had relentlessly pursued the matter until Jude Shramantha’s release.
Jude Shramantha was convicted for the murder of19-year-old Swedish teenager Yvonne Jonsson at the Royal Park Condominiums at Rajagiriya in July 2005. He was 19 at the time of the incident. The Court of Appeal in 2012, sentenced the teenager to death after having dismissed a 12-year prison term imposed by the Colombo High Court. Sirisena granted him a presidential pardon a few days before the end of his presidential term in Nov. 2019.
Responding to interviewer Attorney-at-Law Sanka Amarajith on Derana 360 on Monday (20), a flustered MP Sirisena said that he had directed State Intelligence Services to inquire into allegations that Jude Shramantha’s family paid money for his release. Sirisena said that some alleged he had received “koti (crore) 5, koti 800 while some said koti 500″. The intelligence services reported back that money had been paid, MP Sirisena said, adding that as he didn’t receive a cent, somebody else must have benefited. The former President alleged that those who had been involved with the convict’s family must have benefited.
Sirisena said that Ven. Rathana had brought the Jude Shramantha’s family whom the SLFP leader described as Catholics, four or five times, even in the night to his Pajet Road residence. Ven. Rathana told The Island that he had taken them twice, one time before the presidential pardon and another time thereafter.
Ven Rathana alleged the SLFP leader propagated lies. “I’ll be lodging a complaint with the CID in this regard. Law enforcement authorities and the CIABOC can verify the ex-President’s accusations with Jude Shramantha’s family,” Ven. Rathana said on Wednesday (22).
Sweden took up the presidential pardon with the Sri Lanka government at that time as the victim was half Swedish.
Both Sirisena and Ven. Rathana emphasised that proper procedures had been followed as regards Jude Shramantha’s release. After having lodged a complaint with the CID yesterday morning, Ven. Rathana told this newspaper that investigators could ask the then head of State Intelligence Service (SIS) Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena whether the President had directed him to investigate the Jude Shramantha affair.
Ven. Rathana said that as he had been engaged in drug rehabilitation work there was an opportunity to work with Jude Shramantha. The former JHU heavyweight and one-time close associate of President Sirisena, Ven. Rathana said that the inference he had received money from the boy’s family was nothing but a figment of the ex-President’s imagination or a deliberate attempt to discredit him.
Sandra Nathaniels yesterday denied ever having paid anyone. Recalling a meeting with the then President at his official residence at Pajet road, she said both Ven. Rathana and the late Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thera had made representations on her son’s behalf. Responding to questions, Nathaniels pointed out that the former President himself had repeatedly said that his consent had been given after proper procedures were followed as regards the request for presidential pardon. Mother of four, Sandra said that Jude Shramantha, now overseas, wouldn’t come back ever again.
Ven. Rathana thera said that relevant authorities should inquire into MP Sirisena’s accusations. The amounts of money alleged to have been paid by the concerned family was so huge by any standards the government couldn’t afford to ignore the need to investigate. The Parliament, too, should be concerned about this matter as the accuser and the accused were both members of the current Parliament, the Ven thera 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
