Pardon for Ranjan unlikely anytime soon
Reports circulating about former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian and popular actor Ranjan Ramanayake being in line to be granted a Presidential Pardon are likely to be false, according to the Department of Prisons.
The Ministry of Prisons Management and Prisoners Rehabilitation Affairs Media Spokesperson Chandana Ekanayake told The Morning yesterday (12) said they have not been informed about the release of Ramanayake by the Ministry of Justice.
“It is only a rumour. If a prisoner is to be released under a presidential pardon, the prisons department should be informed first regarding the matter, but we have not been informed about this in any way,” he said.
Opposition Leader Premadasa had earlier posted on social media that he expected Ramanayake to be released from prison yesterday (12) under a presidential pardon, as it is National Prisoners’ Day.
The Supreme Court, on 12 January 2021, sentenced Ramanayake to a four-year rigorous imprisonment over contempt of court. The case was filed by Ven. Magalkande Sudantha Thera and Air Force Officer (Retd.) R.Sunil Perera in 2017 following some remarks made by Ramanayake allegedly insulting the reputation of judiciary when commenting to the media on 21 August 2017. The case was heard before a three-judge bench composed of Justices Sisira De Abrew, Vijith Malalgoda, and Preethi Padman Surasena. Accordingly, he is currently being held at the Angunakolapelessa Prison.
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has also requested President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to grant a presidential pardon for Ramanayake. In a letter to Rajapaksa, the former President said that it is unfortunate that Ramanayake has been condemned to four years of imprisonment due to contempt of court in a background where many other convicts of serious offences have been set free by the current Government. “I believe that you (Rajapaksa) will also agree that it is unfortunate that Ramanayake has to suffer like this due to a charge which is not that serious,” she said.
Kumaratunga further went on to say that as an actor and social worker as well as a politician, Ramanayake is a person who is sincerely committed to the people and even spent his personal wealth for the welfare of the poor.
“As a former Head of State and a senior citizen of this country, I earnestly request you to kindly grant a presidential pardon to Ramanayake, who has been imprisoned for nearly eight months,” she concluded in the letter.
Representatives of the SJB-led Opposition as well as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)-led Government have also requested the President to grant Ramanayake a presidential pardon.
SJB and Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa recently sent a letter to Rajapaksa requesting that a Presidential pardon be granted to Ramanayake. In the letter dated 31 August 2021, Premadasa has claimed that Ramanayake had won the hearts of the people not only through his acting skills, but also through his community service, straightforwardness, and honesty.
It was also pointed out that Ramanayake had won a seat in Parliament with a significant lead against the other candidates through the peoples votes during the 2021 general elections. Furthermore, Premadasa went on to claim that Ramanayake had a clean record in politics, and stated that many groups have written to him (Premadasa), appealing to intervene in order to release Ramanayake.
Meanwhile, in July 2021, several local film stars and artists, including Dilhani Ashokamala Ekanayake, Anusha Damayanthi, and Arjun Kamalanath, made a joint request from President Rajapaksa to grant a presidential pardon to their fellow film star Ramanayake. Among the said artistes, Damayanthi and Kamalanath were among those who supported Rajapaksa in his Presidential campaign in late 2019.
SLPP Galle District MP and veteran actress Geetha Kumarasinghe also, on 23 April, made an appeal for a Presidential pardon for Ramanayake. Speaking in the Parliament, she said: “I am not making this appeal for any political reasons. I make this appeal to grant a Presidential pardon to my one-time colleague Ramanayake for the sake of the cinema industry.”
State Minister of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Lohan Ratwatte recently stated that the request for a presidential pardon for Ramanayake could be considered if Ramanayake was willing to extend an apology to the Judiciary.
By Buddhika Samaraweera