Parliamentary speaker Jagath Wickaramaratne announced today that a three-member, parliament-appointed committee unanimously concluded that Deshabandu Tennakoon, head of the Sri Lankan national police, committed several offenses, including "leading a criminal network."
Following the committee's conclusion, Sri Lanka's 225-member parliament will hold an impeachment vote on Tennakoon. The decision to impeach and remove Tennakoon is likely to pass.
Tennakoon is the first police leader in Sri Lankan history to be impeached, after facing criticism for his inadequate leadership of the 85,000-strong police force.
"This is the first time in the nation's history that a committee has presented conclusions recommending the dismissal of a police chief," Wickaramaratne said.
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Sri Lankan police chief Deshabandu Tennakoon. Photo: India Times |
Sri Lankan police chief Deshabandu Tennakoon. Photo: India Times
Tennakoon was appointed Sri Lanka's police chief in late 2023 under then-president Ranil Wickremesinghe. His appointment was controversial due to past allegations of torture. Sri Lanka's supreme court ordered him to pay 1,600 USD in compensation to the victim, but the government ignored the court's order for disciplinary action.
In July 2024, the supreme court suspended Tennakoon pending an investigation into his appointment process.
In February, after President Anura Kumara Dissanayake took office, a Sri Lankan court issued an arrest warrant for Tennakoon for allegedly ordering an illegal raid on a hotel in the coastal town of Weligama in 2023, purportedly to search for drug offenders.
Police and military personnel in Weligama, unaware of the raid, exchanged fire with Tennakoon's forces, resulting in one officer's death and another's serious injury. No drugs were found in the hotel.
After the warrant was issued, Tennakoon fled. A police spokesman said they couldn't locate their chief despite deploying special task forces, and appealed to the public for help. On 19/3, Tennakoon surrendered and was released on bail.
Duc Trung (AFP, Reuters)
