A senior police officer in Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) who had been investigating high profile cases, has been transferred reports Colombo Gazette, as fears of a purge under Sri Lanka’s new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa continue.
Though his transfer is awaiting approval, it comes in the face of B S Tissera’s high profile work, which has seen him investigate the murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunga and the assault on journalist Keith Noyahr and Upali Tennakoon. Noyahr who survived described his treatment to that of the white van abductions rumoured to be ordered by the former defence secretary and present-day President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
His transfer comes after Sri Lankan airport authorities were sent a list of 704 CID officers who the government is preventing from leaving the country. Last week, a top CID investigator, Nishantha de Silva, who was involved in investigating several high profile cases involving military and state personnel, also fled the country.
Also see a feature on The Times entitled ‘Purge fears in Sri Lanka after return of Rajapaksa brothers’ here.
