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Since the arrest of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, various social media posts related to the arrest have been circulating rapidly on social media networks. Accordingly, here’s an investigation into several viral posts targeting the Colombo Fort magistrate who issued the initial decision to remand and grant bail to the former President, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Social Media Posts :
Claim 1:
A social media post was circulated with the below statement, (Translated to English)
“Congratulations, Madam Nilupuli Lankapura. I learned that your last court action as Colombo Fort Magistrate was the verdict that led to the imprisonment of Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe.
I understand that the promotion to High Court Judge will be effective as soon as the Chief Justice signs it, and I trust that it will reach you by next Monday. Congratulations on a distinguished High Court service.”
And this FB post further states that a separate judge will be appointed in the case of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe on the 26th.
Here are the other related social media posts circulated on Facebook.
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(Facebook | Archived Link) (Facebook | Archived Link)
(Facebook | Archived Link) (Facebook | Archived Link)
Claim 2:
Meanwhile, another post was published stating that the recently appointed RTI chairman, the veteran journalist Daya Lankapura, is the father of Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura.
Below are some other posts published claiming that the Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura is the daughter of Daya Lankapura.
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(Facebook | Archived Link) (Facebook | Archived Link)
This claim was viral on WhatsApp as well.
Accordingly, this is an fact-check we did to determine the accuracy of these posts.
Fact Check :
Fact Check 1:
On the 22nd, Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupulee Lankapura ordered the remand of Ranil Wickremesinghe, after being produced before the court in connection with a case of criminal misappropriation of government funds, until the 26th. This was after considering the arguments presented by a panel of lawyers, including Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, who represented the Criminal Investigation Department, and President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne, who represented Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Accordingly, we checked whether the mainstream media had reported on the promotion of Fort Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura for the position of High Court judge. However, none of the mainstream media had reported on this news.
Furthermore, the court reporter confirmed to us that when the trial against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was reconvened on the 26th, before Magistrate Nilupulee Lankapura.
Media reports also stated that the case of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was recalled before the Fort Magistrate Nilupulee Lankapura on the 26th.
After considering the arguments presented by the Criminal Investigation Department and the defense lawyers, the Magistrate ordered the release of Ranil Wickremesinghe on three surety bonds of Rs. 5 million each. The former President, who is receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital, was not produced before the court on the 26th.
Meanwhile, Colombo Fort Magistrate Nilupulee Lankapura had further ordered that investigations be conducted against individuals who made insulting statements towards the judiciary and action be taken under the Contempt of Courts Act.
Accordingly, given that the former President was summoned again for the case on 26th before Magistrate Nilupulee Lankapura, it is confirmed that the Fort Magistrate has not been promoted, as reported on social media.
Also, if she is to be promoted as a High Court Judge, it will be done through the Judicial Service Commission. There has been no update from the Commission regarding a promotion.
We inquired this from the Director General of Legal at the Presidential Secretariat, Senior Counsel J.M. Wijebandara. However, he confirmed that no such promotions or preparations had taken place. Furthermore, the Director General of Law also stated that the President does not have the power to appoint anyone whom the Judicial Service Commission does not approve as a High Court judge.
Meanwhile, in December 2024, the Judicial Service Commission transferred several magistrates with immediate effect. News 1st had reported, citing the Judicial Service Commission, that Ms. Nilupulee Lankapura had been appointed as the Colombo Fort Magistrate.
Fact Check 2:
We contacted the Chairman of the Right to Information Commission, Senior journalist Daya Lankapura, regarding posts on social media claiming that the Fort Magistrate Nilupulee Lankapura is his daughter.
Mr. Lankapura clarified that he was not related to the Magistrate in any way and had never met her. He also mentioned that his only daughter is married and works at a state bank.
Also, during an interview conducted seven years ago, Mr. Daya Lankapura provided information about his wife and children. There, he also states that he has two sons and a daughter, all of whom were already married.
Also, a feature report published in the ‘Silumina’ newspaper, published several years ago, included details of Mr. Lankapura, as well as a photograph, along with details of his family. It is clearly stated that the name of Mr. Lankapura’s daughter is Sudheera, not Nilupuli Lankapura. Archived.
Senior Journalist Daya Lankapura
Senior journalist Daya Lankapura, who was appointed as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Right to Information Commission, assumed duties on the 11th. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made this appointment with the approval of the Constitutional Council.
Mr. Lankapura, who entered journalism in 1965 through the newspaper ‘Aththa’, has worked in several newspapers, including Silumina, Divaina, Dinamina, Rivira, and Lakbima, and is a seasoned journalist with extensive experience in court reporting.
He is well-known in the media industry as a reporter who reported on the Kataragama Premawathi Manamperi murder case and the April Riot trial at the Criminal Justice Commission.
In addition, Mr. Lankapura, who has also worked as a parliamentary and political reporter, as well as in the Government Information Department, is a veteran journalist with over 6 decades of media experience.
He is an alumnus of Deva Pathiraja College, Rathgama and a graduate of the University of Colombo. He has studied journalism at the University of Western Ontario in Canada and Bradford in Thailand, as well as at the Media Training Institute in Korea, and has served as an instructor at the Sri Lanka College of Journalism. More information here and here.
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Conclusion :
The case against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was taken up again on 26th before Fort Magistrate Nilupulee Lankapura as scheduled. Hence, it is clear that the magistrate has not been promoted, as indicated in social media posts, which the Director General of Legal also confirms at the Presidential Secretariat.
Furthermore, upon inquiry with Mr. Daya Lankapura, the Chairman of the Right to Information Commission, clarified that he is not the father of Magistrate Nilupulee Lankapura.
Title:False Claims Regarding Fort Magistrate Nilupulee Lankapura!
Fact Check By: Fact Crescendo TeamResult: False
