Ahimsa Wickrematunge, daughter of slain journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, has accused Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) President Anura B. Meddegoda of hypocrisy over his stance on Attorney General (AG) Parinda Ranasinghe’s decisions.
In a four-page letter, she questioned Meddegoda’s defence of the AG’s independence while previously challenging similar decisions involving his clients. “Why did you call it ‘obstruction of justice’ when the AG’s decision affected your client, but defend him when he intervened in my father’s case?” she wrote.
The BASL, meanwhile, sent an urgent letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, opposing any Cabinet review of the AG’s decision to discharge three suspects in the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court case on Lasantha Wickrematunge’s assassination. The BASL argued that such interference would undermine judicial independence.
There was no immediate response from Meddegoda or the BASL regarding Ahimsa’s letter. However, social media reports suggested that Meddegoda had withdrawn from his re-election bid ahead of Wednesday’s BASL election.
Ahimsa Wickrematunge;s full letter:
