Latest news with #Tennakoon
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Old celebration picture resurfaces as jailed Sri Lanka police chief gets bail
"Underworld Deshabandu celebrates new year thanks to your help," reads a Sinhala-language Facebook post published on April 14, 2025. It goes on to sarcastically thank Sri Lanka's ministers of justice and public security for police chief Deshabandu Tennakoon's release from jail after a magistrate in the southern city of Matara granted him bail (archived link). "Many police officers who cannot do anything at all are in prison. Thanks to your support, Deshabandu can celebrate the new year," adds the post, which also shares a picture of him lighting a fire in apparent celebration with family. Tennakoon was appointed Inspector General of Police in November 2023, despite Sri Lanka's highest court ruling that he had tortured a suspect in custody. A court ordered his arrest in February for authorising an ill-fated raid which triggered a gun battle between rival police units in the coastal resort town of Weligama. An officer was killed in the shoot-out. He went on the run for two weeks before turning himself in mid-March. Legislators had voted unanimously to open a formal investigation into his conduct, and he is widely expected to be impeached unless he resigns (archived link). Similar Facebook posts also shared the picture following Tennakoon's release on bail on April 10, four days before Sri Lanka celebrates its traditional New Year. But a reverse image search on Google found the photo was posted on his Facebook account on April 14, 2024 (archived link). It was part of an album showing the police chief marking the occasion with his family and was captioned in Sinhala: "Celebrated the New Year 2024 at home". A review of Tennakoon's Facebook account shows the latest post was on February 4, and does not mention New Year celebrations after his release. AFP has previously debunked misinformation related to the controversial police chief.
AFP
23-04-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Old celebration picture resurfaces as jailed Sri Lanka police chief gets bail
"Underworld Deshabandu celebrates new year thanks to your help," reads a Sinhala-language Facebook post published on April 14, 2025. It goes on to sarcastically thank Sri Lanka's ministers of justice and public security for police chief Deshabandu Tennakoon's release from jail after a magistrate in the southern city of Matara granted him bail (archived link). Image Screenshot of the misleading post taken on April 22, 2025 Tennakoon was appointed Inspector General of Police in November 2023, despite Sri Lanka's highest court ruling that he had tortured a suspect in custody. A court ordered his arrest in February for authorising an ill-fated raid which triggered a gun battle between rival police units in the coastal resort town of Weligama. An officer was killed in the shoot-out. He went on the run for two weeks before turning himself in mid-March. Legislators had voted unanimously to open a formal investigation into his conduct, and he is widely expected to be impeached unless he resigns (archived link). Similar Facebook posts also shared the picture following Tennakoon's release on bail on April 10, four days before Sri Lanka celebrates its traditional New Year. But a reverse image search on Google found the photo was posted on his Facebook account on April 14, 2024 (archived link). It was part of an album showing the police chief marking the occasion with his family and was captioned in Sinhala: "Celebrated the New Year 2024 at home". Image Screenshot comparison of the picture as seen in the misleading post (left) and on Tennakoon's Facebook account A review of Tennakoon's Facebook account shows the latest post was on February 4, and does not mention New Year celebrations after his release. AFP has previously debunked misinformation related to the controversial police chief.
AFP
27-03-2025
- AFP
Old clip shared as Sri Lanka police chief's remarks on evading arrest
"Escaping is not a solution. A statement from Deshabandu," reads a Sinhala-language Facebook post on March 19 that features footage of Tennakoon making the same remarks. It was shared on the same day he surrendered to authorities and was remanded in custody after more than a fortnight on the run (archived link). Tennakoon stands accused of authorising an ill-fated drug bust in 2023, allegedly in violation of internal regulations, which triggered a gun battle between competing police units in the southern coastal resort town of Weligama. One police officer was killed, and another was critically wounded in the incident. No drugs were found. The island nation's ruling coalition said it would sack Tennakoon (archived link). Image Screenshot of the false post taken on March 20, 2025 Tennakoon's video also surfaced in similar posts on Facebook but the footage is old. A closer inspection of the clip found it bears a hovering text overlay that reads, "Neth News YouTube". Using this term and other relevant keywords, AFP traced the video to a longer interview uploaded December 21, 2023 on the YouTube channel of local broadcaster Neth News (archived link). Tennakoon's remarks at the 14:20 mark of the report corresponds to the falsely shared footage. He was responding to a question about why the police were disclosing details of their anti-drug operations before these were conducted. Tennakoon warned drug distributors could run away but they cannot escape the law. Image Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared clip (L) and the interview published in December 2023 Police spokesperson Buddhika Manatunga told AFP on March 26 that Thennakoon has not issued any public remarks as he awaits trial and the video "is not a recent statement".
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
Old clip shared as Sri Lanka police chief's remarks on evading arrest
"Escaping is not a solution. A statement from Deshabandu," reads a Sinhala-language Facebook post on March 19 that features footage of Tennakoon making the same remarks. It was shared on the same day he surrendered to authorities and was remanded in custody after more than a fortnight on the run (archived link). Tennakoon stands accused of authorising an ill-fated drug bust in 2023, allegedly in violation of internal regulations, which triggered a gun battle between competing police units in the southern coastal resort town of Weligama. One police officer was killed, and another was critically wounded in the incident. No drugs were found. The island nation's ruling coalition said it would sack Tennakoon (archived link). Tennakoon's video also surfaced in similar posts on Facebook but the footage is old. A closer inspection of the clip found it bears a hovering text overlay that reads, "Neth News YouTube". Using this term and other relevant keywords, AFP traced the video to a longer interview uploaded December 21, 2023 on the YouTube channel of local broadcaster Neth News (archived link). Tennakoon's remarks at the 14:20 mark of the report corresponds to the falsely shared footage. He was responding to a question about why the police were disclosing details of their anti-drug operations before these were conducted. Tennakoon warned drug distributors could run away but they cannot escape the law. Police spokesperson Buddhika Manatunga told AFP on March 26 that Thennakoon has not issued any public remarks as he awaits trial and the video "is not a recent statement".
Khaleej Times
17-03-2025
- Khaleej Times
Sri Lanka court refuses to stop fugitive police chief's arrest
A Sri Lankan court refused on Monday to quash an arrest warrant for the island nation's fugitive police chief who is wanted over an officer's death in a botched raid. Inspector-General Deshabandu Tennakoon has been in hiding since the arrest warrant was issued in February and police have made a public appeal to help find him. He stands accused of authorising an ill-fated drug bust in 2023, allegedly against internal regulations, that sparked a gun battle between competing police units. Despite Tennakoon being in hiding, he still managed to file a writ urging the arrest warrant be cancelled, which the Court of Appeal refused to grant in Monday's ruling. Police said Sunday they had deployed six special units to track down Tennakoon but were only able to trace his wife and son, who claimed they were unaware of his whereabouts. Failure to locate the police chief has "undermined public confidence in the police force", spokesman Buddhika Manatunga told reporters. A foreign travel ban has been imposed on Tennakoon in case he tries to flee the island. The state prosecutor told another court hearing last week that evidence had emerged of Tennakoon operating a paramilitary hit squad to carry out illegal activities. A magistrate ordered Tennakoon's arrest in February following allegations he authorised an illegal raid in the southern coastal resort town of Weligama. Local police, unaware of the undercover operation, confronted the unit, sparking a gun battle in which one officer was killed and another critically wounded. No drugs were found. Tennakoon was appointed police chief in November 2023, but the move was challenged in the Supreme Court, which suspended him last July pending the outcome of a separate court case. The next hearing in that case is due in May. He was given the top job despite the country's highest court ruling in another case that he had tortured a suspect in custody. The Supreme Court had ordered Tennakoon to pay half a million rupees ($1,600) to the victim in compensation, but the government at the time ignored judicial orders to take disciplinary action against him.
