Former Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Director, retired Senior Superintendent of Police Shani Abeysekara recently reminisced the challenges that he faced as a Police officer, and said that despite not having a proper case against him in a Sri Lankan Court, he spent over 10 months in prison.

He spoke about the legal proceedings against him, his service as a Police officer, and also about the controversial case involving Dr. Shafi Shihabdeen (of alleged forced sterilisations which turned out to be a hoax and a witch hunt)  during a policy dialogue held in Colombo. Organised by the Journalists for Democracy, the discussion focused on the abuse of law, science, and the media in Sri Lanka for opportunistic motives.

During his speech, he spoke extensively about his imprisonment, during which he had to face many challenges. Noting that it was a difficult time for him, he thanked those who supported him during that difficult time when he did not have a proper income.

With regard to Dr. Shihabdeen’s case, Abeysekara pointed out that the relevant investigations were intricate, and required careful attention and at times expert opinions. He explained that with the controversy surrounding the case, various allegations were levelled against him and the CID. In addition, he explained how the allegations and insults against him were sometimes of a political nature. Noting that misconceptions as well as genuine concerns were encountered during these investigations, he explained various measures that had to be taken to address those challenges, at times with the assistance of medical experts.