Justice Minister slams Police
Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has slammed the Police for releasing video footage on the interrogation of a suspect arrested in connection to the recent shooting in Athurugiriya in which businessman ‘Club Wasantha’ was killed.
Addressing the Parliament today, the Justice Minister said in the video the Police were seen questioning a suspect in public and with access to media.
Stating that it is a violation of the law, he said under such circumstances, the services of the Police officers involved in such interrogation must be suspended.
Minister Rajapakshe revealed that the releasing of such vital information to the media amidst ongoing investigations into a case is considered contempt of court.
“Under the current circumstances, I do not believe that the judiciary can grant justice. The Police have already done their hearing on the case for the whole country to see and now they will only have to issue the verdict on the case. The judges have nothing more to do in this case,” he said, slamming the actions of the Police.
The Justice Minister questioned how crime investigations can be conducted with the involvement of such Police officers and if such interrogations were legal.
Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe pointed out that the actions of such Police officials affect the trust of the people in the Judicial system.
The Justice Minister’s comments come after the Police released video footage to the media on the interrogation of the owner of the tattoo studio in Athurugiriya in which the shooting had occurred.
During the public interrogation, the suspect is seen naming a local drug peddler living in Dubai as the mastermind of the attack on businessman ‘Club Wasantha’.