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Barely had the smoke cleared from the 13-hour riot at Mahara Prison when a wave of forged documents and invented quotes began circulating on Sri Lankan social media, each trying to score a political point. A letter “signed” by the Opposition Leader, a resignation quote “reported” by ITN, and a bombshell “revealed” by a well-known priest — all built to look authentic. We investigated three of the most widely shared claims. Here is what we found.
Social Media Posts
Claim 1
A letter circulating in the media, allegedly bearing Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s signature, claimed that the government had exceeded its authority by imposing a curfew in the police division around Mahara Prison after the unrest there.
Fact-Check
The document lacked the standard fonts, spacing, formatting and text accuracy found in official Parliament or Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) media releases. No major or credible Sri Lankan newspaper, television channel or news website had reported such a statement. No such letter appeared on the official Facebook page of Sajith Premadasa or the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Our investigation confirmed that the SJB media unit had not sent any such letter to any media organisation.
Samagi Jana Balawegaya Media Unit
In response to our inquiry, the unit confirmed that the letter was fabricated and that the Opposition Leader had neither issued nor made any such statement.
What Sajith Premadasa Actually Said About the Mahara Incident
Sajith Premadasa said a government unable to manage the country’s prison system cannot improve the lives of 22 million citizens or rebuild the nation. He noted that the government had earlier defeated an opposition no-confidence motion against the Minister of Justice and Prison Affairs, mocking the opposition in the process, yet just days after protecting the minister, the major crisis at Mahara Prison had once again exposed the government’s failure. He accused the government of pushing the country further into crisis and in the wrong direction instead of solving existing problems. More details can be found here and here. While he commented on the government’s administrative failures and the prison unrest, he did not criticise the imposition of the curfew.
Claim 2
A social media post claimed that an official ITN News Facebook report quoted Minister Harshana as saying: “I take responsibility for the Mahara Prison incident as well, but I will not resign.”
Fact-Check
Our preliminary investigation confirmed that the Minister of Justice made no such statement about the Mahara incident. No credible mainstream outlet reported any such remark, and as noted, ITN News did not publish any such report. The Minister’s actual remarks on the Mahara incident are shown below.
As the image spread widely on social media, the Independent Television Network (ITN) issued a special notice through its official Facebook page and website, stating that this was a fabricated news item that misused its brand logo.
Media Division of the Minister of Justice
The Minister’s Media Division likewise stated that the Minister had made no such statement regarding the Mahara Prison clash.
The Incident Behind This Post
Following the clash started by inmates at Negombo Prison on July 5, 2026, Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara told the media that, as the institution falls under his authority, he would take full responsibility. That statement appears to have been the basis for the fabricated post.
Also Read: Fake statements emerging amid the Negombo Prison tragedy!
Claim 3
A post claimed that “State Intelligence, Army Intelligence and the Rajapaksa family are behind the prison incidents,” supposedly revealed by Father Cyril Gamini.
Fact-Check
If Colombo Archdiocese Spokesperson Rev. Cyril Gamini Fernando had made such a statement, mainstream media would have reported it. No such report was found. Although the TTV News logo appears at the bottom right of the image, neither its official website nor its social media platforms have published any such news. Our investigation confirmed that Father Cyril Gamini has made no public statement linking State Intelligence or the Army to the Mahara Prison incident, and he confirmed that the report was false and that he had made no such statement.
The Mahara Prison Clash
The unrest at Mahara Prison, which began around 4:00 p.m. on August 1, 2026, lasted more than 13 hours and escalated into a riot when a group of inmates broke through temporary barriers and tried to escape through the main gate. Inmates hurled stones at security personnel, and prison officers’ gunfire to restore order left one inmate dead and seven others injured and admitted to Ragama Hospital. The rioters set fire to several facilities, including the prison hospital, kitchen, chief jailer’s office and the newly opened rehabilitation building, causing extensive damage. The situation was eventually brought under control through a joint operation by the Police, the armed forces and the Special Task Force (STF). The Committee for Protecting Prisoners’ Rights identified severe overcrowding as a key factor, with more than 4,100 inmates held at a prison built for only 991. Security authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation under the supervision of the Welisara Magistrate’s Court to determine whether the incident was a conspiracy by an outside organised group aimed at embarrassing the government. More details are available here, here and here.
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Conclusion
Our fact-check confirms that three widely shared posts linking the Mahara Prison clash to political figures are all fabricated. The letter attributed to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa was confirmed fake by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya media unit; the “I take responsibility but will not resign” quote attributed to Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara was never made, and ITN itself issued a notice that its logo had been misused; and Rev. Cyril Gamini Fernando confirmed he made no statement tying State Intelligence, the Army or the Rajapaksa family to the incident.
The genuine Mahara Prison clash on August 1, 2026, left one inmate dead and seven injured, with extensive fire damage, and is being investigated under the Welisara Magistrate’s Court amid concerns over severe overcrowding. The political claims built on top of it, however, are false.
Title: Fabricated Letters and Fake Quotes: The False Political Posts Riding on the Mahara Prison Clash
Fact Check By: Pavithra Sandamali
Result: False
