SC Judge P.A. Ratnayake resigns

Saturday, 16 February 2013

Supreme Court Judge P.A. Ratnayake has handed his resignation letter to the Chief Justice yesterday as part of the controversy faced by the country following Chief Justice Mohan Peiris’ appointment.

Legal experts say that the premature retirement of Judge Ratnayake is symbolic of the current crisis faced by the country’s judiciary.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court Judge S.I. Imam is to retire on February 20th. A senior lawyer said that since the power to appoint Supreme Court judges is vested with the President he would appoint two persons loyal to him to fill the vacancies.

'The Sunday Leader' journalist escapes assassination attempt

16 FEBRUARY 2013-BY INDIKA GAMAGE

In yet another attack targeting scribes in Sri Lanka, a journalist was shot inside his home in Colombo by armed men around midnight on Friday.

The Sunday Leader journalist Faraz Shaukatally narrowly escaped death when an unidentified group opened fire at him injuring him in his neck. He was rushed to Colombo South Teaching Hospital  and is reportedly out of danger.

Mr. Shaukatally is well known for his investigative reporting often involving corruption.

In January 2009, the founding editor of The Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickramatunge was gunned down in Colombo forcing his journalist wife Sonali Samarasinghe to flee into exile. Mr.Wikramatunge's successor Frederica Jansz left the country last year after allegedly receiving death threats.