Former CID Chief SSP Shani Abeysekera has contracted Covid-19 as his bail case is due to be taken up in the Gampaha High Court tomorrow (26).
According to the National Center for the Prevention of the Spread of Covid-19, Mr. Abeysekera, who was detained at the Mahara Prison, has been transferred to the Welikada Prison.
The Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday Attacks was scheduled to take a statement from him on Monday, but that too was canceled. A few weeks ago, Mr. Abeysekera’s wife had sent a letter to several parties, including the Chief Justice, stating that his life is in danger.
Shani’s transfer
Mr. Abeysekera, who was the Director of the CID, was removed from his post on November 21, 2019 and appointed as the DIG’s Personal Assistant to Galle. This hasty decision taken by the Police Commission was signed by the Secretary of the Police Commission that evening and it was forwarded to the Police Headquarters the same afternoon.
The Police Commission decided to appoint him as the Director of the CID on September 7, 2017 as the previous director Sudath Nagahamulla, was promoted to the post of Deputy Inspector General of Police by the National Police Commission.
Shani’s Investigations
He led investigations into many infamous cases including the Royal Park murder, the Angulana double murder, the Udathalawinna murder, the murder of Mohamed Siyam, the robbery of Rs. 20 million and the Town Hall bomb. Even a Deputy DIG has been sentenced to death as a result of his investigations.
The CID is currently investigating a number of sensitive investigations under his supervision, including the abduction of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, the murder of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, the attack on journalist Keith Noyar and former Rivira editor Upali Tennakoon, and the shooting to death of three unarmed civilians in Rathupaswala.
The Rathupaswala incident alone has been indicted by the High Court.
Cases like the murder of the rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, which caused a great deal of controversy in the recent past, the bond deal and providing protection to the main killer of Vidya were carried out under the supervision of Mr. Abeysekera.
He filed an appeal against his transfer on December 08, 2019 and filed a fundamental rights petition on the 20th of the same month. He was later suspended and arrested on July 31, five days before the last general election. He has been in remand custody for nearly four months since then.
