Mahinda ally named suspect in violence

Colombo, June 1: A former Sri Lankan minister and a key ally of former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was on Wednesday named a suspect in the deadly attack on anti-government protesters last month even as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a Commission of Inquiry to probe the recent violence in the country.

At least 10 people, including a ruling party MP, were killed in the May 9 clashes triggered by a pro-government group attacking antigovernment protesters, who were demanding resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the country’s worst economic crisis that led to acute shortages of staple food, fuel and power.

Johnston Fernando, a former senior minister who was seen making an inflammatory speech addressing the Mahinda Rajapaksa supporters before they went about attacking the unarmed protesters, has been named a suspect.

Police had earlier recorded

a statement from him. At least two of his parliamentary colleagues, state ministers are currently under custody. The backlash from the attack saw personal properties of over 70 parliamentarians of the ruling party facing arson attacks. Over 1,700 people have been arrested for the attacks.

The President’s Office on Wednesday said a special three-member probe panel headed by a retired judge has been appointed to investigate and report on all loss of life and property, including arson, robbery and murder, which took place in several areas of the island between March 31 and May 15. Supreme Court Justice President's Counsel B P Aluvihare has been appointed as the Chairman of the Commission, News1st reported. —