The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) today requested all relevant authorities, the Attorney General and the law enforcement authorities to act immediately against the alleged criminal conduct of State Minister Lohan Ratwatte.
In a statement, BASL Secretary Rajeev Amarasuriya said the alleged criminal conduct of the State Minister of Prison Management and Prisoner Rehabilitation Affairs and Gem and Jewellery related Industries Lohan Ratwatteseriously calls into question his eligibility to hold office in the government any longer.
‘By tendering his resignation Mr Ratwatte has accepted responsibility for his conduct and therefore, he has forfeited his moral right to hold any office in government, ministerial or otherwise,’ the BASL said.
The BASL said allegations that Ratwatteforcibly entered the prisons at Welikada with other persons and that he flew to Anuradhapura and forcibly entered the prison there and intimidated, prisoners at that prison are acts of gross impunity and a threat to the rule of law.
The nature of the allegations against him is such that Mr Ratwatte can no longer command the trust or responsibility of not only as a government minister charged with duties in respect of prisons but also as a minister holding any other portfolio and as a Member of Parliament.
Such acts of impunity should be investigated fully and impartially and if proved, be visited with penal consequences. Independent and impartial investigations into these alleged criminal acts must be conducted expeditiously, the BASL statement said.
