The Attorney General’s announcement today (November 19) to the Fort Magistrate’s Court that investigations into the state financial misappropriation case against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe would be concluded within one month and charges filed in a higher court has raised serious concerns about the current National People’s Power (NPP) government’s political interference in the legal process.
Critics argue that setting a public deadline to expedite a case against a former head of state, when complex financial misappropriation probes typically take years-indicates that the decision is driven by political necessity rather than the rule of law.
Justice Aligned with the Political Calendar
The announcement was made by Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, appearing for the Attorney General, during the hearing of a request by former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake to lift his travel ban. Although Ekanayake’s lawyers withdrew their request following the promise of expedited action, the incident suggests that the NPP administration is exerting immense political pressure on the Attorney General’s Department to dismantle the independence of state institutions and deliver swift “solutions” against political opponents.
While the current government champions anti-corruption as its key slogan, critics allege that these expedited investigations are all politically targeted. Amidst the government’s failure to provide quick remedies to the soaring cost of living and the ongoing economic crisis, the acceleration of this sensitive case is seen as a clear attempt to divert public attention and secure a political victory.
Institutional Anarchy and Selective Justice
The issue of institutional anarchy was highlighted previously in this same case, with reports that a team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers had traveled to the UK without informing the Attorney General’s Department. Instead of correcting this institutional confusion, the Attorney General’s subsequent move to impose an unreasonable deadline further compromises the integrity of the legal process.
On one hand, the government is moving to file charges against Ranil Wickremesinghe within a month, while on the other, the CID report to the court regarding Namal Rajapaksa’s fraudulent acquisition of a law degree has been suppressed for months. This policy of selective justice clearly demonstrates that the NPP’s anti-corruption drive is merely a powerful tool used to destroy political rivals. The use of the legal process as a political agenda is likely to severely undermine the credibility of the nation’s justice system.
