Former Foreign Minister and President’s Counsel Ali Sabry has sharply criticized the Police leadership, warning that its recent comments on security threats reflect a serious failure in duty and accountability.
Sabry’s remarks come after Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Priyantha Weerasooriya claimed that the threat against Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Jagath Withana was not politically motivated but linked to his alleged associations with individuals involved in illegal businesses and organized crime.
The IGP had made similar remarks earlier this month following the killing of Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Lasantha Wickramasekara, who had reportedly sought police protection before being shot dead.
In a strongly worded statement, Sabry said it appeared that the current Police leadership had “learnt little from the conduct and the eventual downfall of their predecessors,” adding that some senior officers behave “as though governments last forever and their positions are eternal.”
“If the Police leadership absolves itself of the responsibility to protect citizens who are under threat from the underworld, using the excuse that those seeking protection may have underworld links, it reflects a despicable and dangerous dereliction of duty,” he said.
Sabry stressed that the primary role of law enforcement is to uphold the law and ensure security for all citizens, not to “sit in judgment or play politics.”
“When accountability comes, as it always does, no political master will be able to shield them. Responsibility for one’s conduct in office cannot be outsourced or excused,” he warned. (Newswire)
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