Sri Lanka appoints Priyantha Weerasuriya as acting Police chief

Prior to his appointment as the acting police chief Weerasuriya served as the Senior DIG in charge of the North Central Province

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday (September 27, 2024) appointed Senior Deputy Inspector General Priyantha Weerasuriya as the acting police chief, replacing Deshabandu Tennakoon who was suspended by the Supreme Court in July.

The move comes after a three-member bench of the apex court issued an order that will remain in effect until the completion of hearings on nine fundamental rights petitions filed against Mr. Tennakoon.

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Mr. Tennakoon's suspension is linked to a 2011 incident where he was found guilty of violating an individual's fundamental rights through torture while in custody. Despite the Supreme Court's directive for disciplinary action, Tennakoon was appointed police chief by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe in February, with approval from the Constitutional Council.

The Supreme Court on July 24 suspended Mr. Tennakoon from serving his office and suggested an acting appointment be made. However, Mr. Wickremesinghe's government refused to act on the court order, citing it as an impediment to parliamentary powers.

Prior to his appointment as the acting police chief, Mr. Weerasuriya served as the Senior DIG in charge of the North Central Province, a position he has held since March 2024.

He has served in the police for 36 years and is the the first officer in the police’s 158-year history to rise from the rank of a Police Constable to IGP, according to EconomyNext news portal.

He is a law graduate from the University of Colombo and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management.

He had served as the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Crime and Traffic, as well as the Director of Police Logistics. He has also participated in United Nations peacekeeping missions in East Timor and Haiti.

Published - September 27, 2024 07:27 pm IST