COLOMBO — 2009 · Unsolved Case
The Assassination of Lasantha Wickrematunge
Lasantha Wickrematunge, founding editor of The Sunday Leader, was attacked by assailants on motorcycles on Attidiya Road in Ratmalana on the morning of 8 January 2009 while driving to work, and died shortly afterwards. A fierce critic of the government and its conduct of the civil war, he had written an editorial anticipating his own killing, which was published posthumously and resonated worldwide. In later years the investigation raised allegations linked to military intelligence, and several police officers accused of suppressing evidence were prosecuted. In January 2025, however, the Attorney General decided not to proceed against those suspects; the killers and those who ordered the murder have never been tried.
- Date
- 2009
- Place
- Ratmalana, Western Province, Sri Lanka, Colombo, LK
- Category
- Unsolved Case
- Case Status
- Unsolved
- Coordinates
- 6.8350, 79.8800 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 8 January 2009Wickrematunge was attacked on Attidiya Road and died.
- 11 January 2009His pre-written editorial was published posthumously.
- 2015-2016The investigation was reopened; his body was exhumed for forensic examination.
- 27 January 2025The Attorney General decided to drop proceedings against three suspects.
- 2025The decision was criticised by national and international press bodies.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Assassination of Lasantha Wickrematunge en.wikipedia.org ↗
- IFJ — No justice as murder suspects released ifj.org ↗
- Roar Media — The Lasantha Wickrematunge case: a timeline archive.roar.media ↗
- Wikipedia
- IFJ
- Roar Media
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.