Release of convict: AKD urged to bring alleged culprits to justice

The Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners yesterday (08) said it would be President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s responsibility to take punitive action against the Prisons Department officials alleged to have released a convicted fraudster W.M. Athula Tillekaratne by surreptitiously including him in the group granted presidential pardon for Vesak.

- BY SHAMINDRA FERDINANDO

Executive Director of the Committee Attorney-at-Law Seneka Perera, told The Island that if Tillekaratne hadn’t been among the 388 prisoners whose release was approved by the President, the government should quickly identify those responsible for abusing this annual Vesak Poya day general pardon.

Lawyer Perera said that freeing a convicted man was as bad as releasing 323 containers without scrutiny on January 18 this year.