The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the Judicature (Amendment) Bill and the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill.

¶ 02 What I raise relates to courts and the law. During the presidential election campaign, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake promised to probe several murders—Lasantha Wickrematunge, Prageeth Ekneligoda, Thajudeen, Sivaram, and Poddala Jayantha—and deliver justice.

¶ 03 On 9 February 2026, the President issued a Gazette requiring re-registration of customer information for SIM cards obtained before 02.08.2019, stating that telecom operators lack certain customer data from before that date, causing problems in legal investigations. If operators say they lack this data, was this advised by Hans? He is the President’s advisor now. This Gazette orders re-registration of all pre-2019 SIMs because, supposedly, investigations cannot proceed otherwise.

¶ 04 But when operators received licenses from the TRCSL, they were obligated to collect and retain identity documents for SIM issuance—NIC, driving license, or passport. Why this Gazette now? Consider the murders the President promised to solve—all pre-2019. In Lasantha’s case, the trial has stalled because the Trincomalee camp SIM user details were not provided. In Thajudeen’s case, call records linking calls from Temple Trees to the Narahenpita OIC on the night of the murder remain unresolved. Where was Dialog’s CEO then—Hans Wijesuriya. Where is he now? The President’s economic advisor. Will you now catch the killers? Back then he was a friend of the Rajapaksas; now he is your friend. In Thajudeen’s case, the CCD SP who altered the “13 report” to claim it was an accident is now an advisor in the Ministry under your Police Minister. Will you catch the killers—or only their shadows?

¶ 05 The Ekneligoda and Sivaram cases also hinge on telecom data that was not provided. The President came to office promising to catch those involved. Now, this Gazette tells all pre-2019 SIM users to re-register. Do you think criminals will show up and re-register to be caught? Instead, the Gazette creates a pathway for operators to evade responsibility by claiming they lack legacy data. Is this designed to protect Hans and the companies, and to quietly bury these cases? Under TRCSL license conditions, operators must have customer data; if they claim otherwise, they should face legal action, even license cancellation. Instead of taking action, the Gazette invites re-registration, allowing operators to tell courts they have no data—ending the cases.

¶ 06 I also remind the President that Sandhya Ekneligoda supported building this government; today she is again protesting because she sees those who hindered justice now circling the President. You spoke of these murders in the campaign and pledged that no culprit would go free. Do not use Gazettes to shield telecom companies and their owners. We submit this concern to the President.

¶ 07 Thank you.