- Prisons Dept. denies any impending transfer out of Colombo Remand
Claiming there are plans in place to transfer Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) Convenor Wasantha Mudalige, who is currently detained in the Colombo Remand Prison under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA), to the Boossa Prison, the IUSF expressed suspicions regarding whether the said move is part of a conspiracy to assassinate Mudalige.
Speaking at a media briefing yesterday (15), IUSF Acting Convenor Terrance Rodrigo said: “We have received information that Mudalige will be taken to the Boossa Prison tomorrow (17). This plan is something that is very suspicious. An ‘aragalaya’ has been going on for the past few months, and the IUSF has played an active role in it. Mudalige has been remanded under the PTA for taking part in the ‘aragalaya’ and now there are plans underway to transfer him to the Boossa Prison.”
Recalling that the Attorney General’s (AG’s) Department and the Terrorism Investigations Division (TID) had informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court early this week that only 40% of the investigations with regard to Mudalige had been concluded, he alleged that the Government, including President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, and Defence Ministry Secretary General (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne wants him (Mudalige) detained for a few more months.
“Those who are charged with various crimes such as murders and drug trafficking are being detained in the Boossa Prison. In recent times, information has come to light about plans to assassinate such detainees under the guise of getting them to show weapons. The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of the TID, who is overseeing investigations into Mudalige, has even threatened him with death at the TID. Considering all these matters, we are doubtful that what happened to certain prisoners in the recent past (custodial deaths of prisoners) will not also happen to Mudalige,” claimed Rodrigo.
Speaking further, he said that while IUSF activists and attorneys are able to visit Mudalige when he is being detained at the Colombo Remand Prison with relative ease, they will face difficulties visiting him if he is transferred to Boossa. Claiming that the TID has not been able to prove any charge against Mudalige despite his detention for several months, Rodrigo expressed suspicions that there are plans to assassinate Mudalige in some way, thereby covering up the failures of the TID.
When contacted by The Morning, Prisons Media Spokesman and Commissioner of Prisons Chandana Ekanayake said that Mudalige has not been transferred to the Boossa Prison and denied any plans to do so in the coming days.
Claiming that the TID is ignoring instructions by the court regarding Mudalige, activists of the “aragalaya” alleged on Wednesday (14) that a conspiracy to assassinate him is currently underway. Speaking to the media, “aragalaya” activist Vidarshana Kannangara said that they had come to know that Mudalige had received threats that he would be assassinated as the slain actor-turned-politician Vijaya Kumaratunga and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Leader Rohana Wijeweera were.
Mudalige, who was in remand custody under the PTA and was produced before Colombo Additional Magistrate T.N.L. Mahawatte on Tuesday (13), was ordered to be further remanded until 17 January 2023. Both the AG’s Department and the TID, which appeared before the court, requested that Mudalige be remanded further as the relevant investigations are still being carried out. However, the Additional Magistrate raised concerns regarding the TID’s failure to conclude the investigations despite Mudalige's detention for several months and ordered the conclusion of the investigations as soon as possible.