An honest unswerving SSP hits out at Police Officers who subordinate the law to obey orders from the Head of State

By: Shantha Wijesooriya
Couretsy: Lanka E News

(August 28, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Former SSP Mano Ranjan Bandara Angunawela was an honest and unswerving Senior Police Officer who served the Police Force for 36 years . He joined the Police service in 1968 as a Sub Inspector and rose to the rank of SSP before he retired.. He was also a lecturer on Law at the Police training College and a Commanding Commodore of the Naval Division. Hereunder , is a text of an interview conducted by 'Lanka E News' with him.

Q. Following the end of the war , the Police acting on instructions from the Govt. took into custody the alleged underworld elements and killed them. Isn’t this a flagrant breach of the law ?

A. Yes it is.. As we join the Police we take an oath raising our hand that we are bound to safeguard public property , lives and peace. Whether it is a democratic country or non Democratic country , the Police is obliged to adhere to the law Hereunder ,are answers provided to our Lanka e news correspondent at an interview ,by a retired SSP of the Police who is renowned for his integrity , rectitude and unswerving loyalty ..

The Police Force means , a Division which safeguards public property and lives while reinforcing the laws and peace of the country. Therefore ,if anybody is promising them protection even if they transgress the law and commit crimes , my warning to the Police Force is no law book teaches that.

For my exams , I read law books of England, India and Sri Lanka (SL). Only after reading them realization dawned on me that using the power more than necessary when recording a statement is prohibited because the method of using the power is elucidated therein. Even in respect of an individual suspected of murder , no measures can be taken to destroy his life. He must be subjected to an inquiry. If he has committed double murder , he must be subject to a special inquiry. On the other hand, if these individuals are killed while in custody , how will we know what crime he has committed ? .The inquiries and investigation will also fall apart. Why aren’t these high ranking Police Officers teaching this to their subordinates ?

If , for any reason a Superior Officer says, he has acted on instructions from the top to commit these wrongs , the time is not far away when not only the underworld, even law abiding citizens will begin shooting when a Police Officer accosts them. Angulana and Borella incidents are ample testimony . If people are continued to be killed without let or hindrance , this will be the inevitable result. Like against the Police , people will start reacting violently against the administration too. This anarchic environment will not be too far away in SL.

The value of SL’s traditional kiribath eating event has also lost its meaning. Why? , even after committing murders ,they eat kiribath. This administration has driven this country to this lowliest of levels.

Q. What about the procedure to be legally followed after an individual is arrested ?

A. Within 24 hours of arrest of the individual, the Police must inform Courts. A written acknowledgement must be given to a relative of the individual at the time of the arrest. The police must produce the suspect to Courts nad inform that such an individual is in police custody and investigations are proceeding. Pursuant to a Court order , a ‘B’ report shall be forwarded. As a police officer , if at the time of arrest , the individual is sick and his health condition needs medical care , it is my duty to provide him with medical attention. The individual’s particulars and condition shall be recorded in one or more of the relevant books.

Q. Former Police spokesperson SSP Ranjith Gunasekera instructed the Police to shoot and blow the heads of o if an underworld element turns violent when Police tries to arrest him. Do you think such arrogant remarks encouraging disrespect for law acceptable viz a viz your statement that Police must protect public property and lives ?

A. Absolutely wrong . The Police are stooping this low , because some Police officers are of the opinion that politicians will prop them up in such acts of lawlessness.

Q. Do you suggest that specially after the war in the North, the Police have become much more politicized than before ?

A. Yes. The war in the North certainly had an impact . However politicization existed in the Police always. That does not mean that a Police officer can talk or act like an underworld criminal. Of course , if a suspect takes arms to attack us , shooting at them is a different matter.

Q. Aren’t the Police shooting and killing suspects who have been arrested and are in handcuffs on the allegation that they tried to attack them ?

A. When a suspect is arrested , he is divested of all arms and weapons ; and when he is taken to discover hidden cache of arms he is in handcuffs. The suspect is not expected to show the arms using his physical strength ; he only instructs orally. If the Police officer who accompanies him is intelligent enough , he will not ask the suspect to get the arms for him from where it is hidden. Neither does the Police Officer.. It is an outsider who is employed for this task , so that there is evidence . This is how we discharged our duties.

Q. When an individual transgresses the law or is guilty of a breach of the peace ; the duty of the Police officer is to produce him before the Court . He cannot mete out punishment . That duty is of the Court .. Don’t you think in the backdrop of the spate of recent Police alleged crimes , the Police is arrogating to themselves that duty of the Court?

A. You are right . Police are clearly engaging in extra judicial activities. As the Police are bound to protect property, lives and peace , their most paramount duty as custodians is protecting human lives . Sometimes information from the first suspect arrested has to be collected to track down another suspect. If suspect first arrested is promptly killed , the chances of the Police to track down the others are also killed.

Q. Do the recent incidents of Police violence have relevance to your enunciations.?
A. Yes. It is feared that the data and truth may be divulged. So, the individual who gave out the information is killed before he leaks out the facts which will prove dangerous to those concerned.

When the killings of the youths occurred in the North by the Govt. Armed Forces and the Police ,the Sinhala and Muslim communities without any compunction or conscience kept silent. Now, after the multiple murders in Angulana and Trincomalee , aren’t those in the South too facing a similar horrendous crisis ?

This is an absolute truth. Our Sinhala people are not far sighted . We are Buddhists , so we cant eat kiribath when the Tigers were defeated or Prabhakaran was killed.. Even those wearing the saffron robes did not come out to protest against these actions as running counter to the Buddhist precepts and Buddha Dharma. Killing a man in a war is one thing , but killing an innocent unarmed person is a wicked cruel act.

Q. Are these murders committed in the South a continuation of the crime cycle in the North and East ?

A. They are. These murders in the South are a continuation of the criminal acts perpetrated in the North and East. When a suspect dies in Police custody , the Police must take full responsibility for the death. Just because the Head of State gave orders , and therefore they acted in the way they did , does not exculpate them. What is expressed and exposed thereby is that the Superior Police officers do not know their law. Now , in the police force , there are many who have begun from the middle rung. They should have risen from the very bottom to truly know what onerous responsibilities they shoulder .

Q.On these murders , there are politicians, women, filthy lucre and scoring a ‘star’ plus point have had a bearing . Have they ?

A. Yes. they have. There is not only a competition for ‘star’ plus points but also a face display scramble. During my tenure of office , a Police Officer gave a false statement that LTTE is preparing to construct an Airport in Ruwanwella because of this competition.

From constable to Sub Inspector , they must be subjected to a psychiatric evaluation before they are recruited.

Q. Do you think that if the Police Commission is active under the 17th amendment , these Police atrocities could be curbed and controlled ?

A. Yes. It is possible.. The Human Rights Commission and Police Commissions have been a great boon. Police Officers who suffered injustice within the Police Establishment got redress . Even outsiders gained because of those Commissions.

Those appointed to the Police Commission must be individuals of unquestionable integrity , honesty and rectitude who will not kowtow to political pressures.

Q. You have enlightened us on how the Police should safeguard public property, lives and peace. In your 36 years of service , did you face any criminal charges?

A. You are asking the question from a Police Officer who went forward like a unicorn without bowing to any obnoxious pressures from any quarters. I have neither done a wrong nor helped another to do a wrong. I have also not rewarded or given a gift to a wrongdoer.

Hence, I earned the respect of all my superior Officers without exception.

Translated By: Gafoor

-Sri Lanka Guardian