Former commissioner who oversaw Welikada Prison massacre receives award from minister

A felicitation ceremony organized by Sri Lanka’s Prisons Department has ignited controversy
A felicitation ceremony organized by Sri Lanka’s Prisons Department has ignited controversy

emil award 2

A felicitation ceremony organized by Sri Lanka’s Prisons Department has ignited controversy after former Prisons Commissioner Emil Ranjan Lamahewa, previously convicted for his role in the 2012 Welikada Prison massacre, was honoured for his 37 years of service.

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, who presented the award, faced sharp criticism for his participation in the event, prompting Deputy Minister of Public Security Sunil Watagala to clarify that the Minister was not informed in advance about Lamahewa’s recognition.

Emil award

The 2012 Welikada Prison riots remain one of Sri Lanka’s most infamous incidents of state violence. On November 9, 2012, the Police Special Task Force (STF) launched a search operation targeting illegal weapons allegedly in possession of inmates. The operation turned deadly, resulting in the deaths of 27 prisoners and injuries to more than 40 others. Reports alleged that some prisoners were extrajudicially executed, with eyewitness accounts pointing to the involvement of state officials.

welikada prison riot

In 2019, the Attorney General filed indictments against Emil Ranjan Lamahewa, Neomal Rangajeewa (a former Police Narcotics Bureau Inspector), and Indika Sampath (an officer attached to Prisons Intelligence), charging them with murder and conspiracy to murder as part of an unlawful assembly.

During a three-year trial, the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar sentenced Lamahewa to death in 2021 for his involvement in the abduction and killing of prisoner Kalu Thushara. This decision was heavily influenced by testimony from jailor Kuda Bandara, who reported witnessing Lamahewa and a Major abducting Thushara. Bandara later conveyed his concerns to then-Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, leading to the establishment of an investigative committee.

The evidence gathered by this committee, alongside findings from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), formed the basis of Lamahewa’s conviction. However, in August 2024, the Supreme Court overturned this verdict, acquitting Lamahewa after a panel of five judges ruled that the prosecution failed to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Rangajeewa, the first accused in the case, had been acquitted earlier due to the prosecution’s inability to establish his involvement.

Despite the controversy surrounding his past, Lamahewa was honoured at a Prisons Department ceremony for his decades of service. Alongside five other retired prison officials, he received an award from Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara. The ceremony, which intended to celebrate long-serving officials, became contentious due to Lamahewa’s presence.

Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala claimed that the Justice Minister had not been informed of Lamahewa’s inclusion prior to the event. Watagala also stated that the Justice Minister attended the ceremony at the invitation of the Prisons Department and was compelled to recognize Lamahewa’s service on short notice.

Speaking on TV, Nanayakkara defended his actions, emphasizing that Lamahewa, having been acquitted by the Supreme Court, is now an innocent person before the law. The Minister promised to issue a statement addressing the backlash.

While Lamahewa’s acquittal legally absolves him, his recognition at the event has reignited calls for transparency and justice for the victims of the 2012 massacre.

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