Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has called for an impartial investigation into the murder of Sunday Leader founder editor Lasantha Wickrematunge.
Delivering his inaugural speech in parliament, Fonseka said that the previous administration tried to send him to the gallows saying he was connected to Wickrematunge’s killing.
“Both, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Parliamentarian Mahinda Rajapaksa have accused the former Army Commander of been involved in this killing. We are not scared, we are not scared of false accusations,” he said.
Fonseka called on President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to conduct an impartial investigation and punish the people behind it. “I am certain the police and the CID have the ability to conduct this investigation properly,” Fonseka added.
Incidentally, Fonseka made no mention about some of the other attacks against journalists, including that ofKeith Noyahr, the then Associate Editor of ‘The Nation’ newspaper, who was abducted and severely beaten up immediately after he wrote an article titled ‘An army is not its commander’s private fiefdom.’ It is alleged that Fonseka was directly involved in the abduction which happened in May 2008.