Lasantha’s assassination remains a stark symbol of the profound flaws in Sri Lanka’s justice system—an egregious failure to protect journalists, uphold the rule of law, and bring perpetrators to justice.

Wickrematunge’s death was not just the loss of a voice of dissent, but a calculated political assassination. Everyone in Sri Lanka knows who ordered the killing of Lasantha despite the judiciary and the justice system failing to hold a single individual responsible.

The crime of killing Lasantha was compounded by the colossal cover-up orchestrated by numerous individuals in positions of power, including the then Inspector General of Police. This cover up resulted in the killing of at least two innocent Tamil civilians.

Investigations carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) revealed startling evidence of foul play, suggesting that the killing was not only politically motivated but deliberately obscured by a network of State actors. Two Tamil men were murdered in what appeared to be an orchestrated effort to falsify evidence and link Wickrematunge’s killing to the Tamil Tigers (LTTE). These men, riding a motorcycle in Vavuniya, were gunned down, and their motorcycle was transported to a lake in Attidiya—a suspiciously elaborate scheme to shift the blame.

What followed was an all-out attempt to derail the investigation. The then IG, who received an anonymous tip-off about the motorcycle, was implicated in this cover-up, as was a Deputy Inspector General (DIG). Both were involved in suppressing evidence and obstructing the investigation. But the manipulation didn’t stop there. Judicial medical officers tasked with conducting the autopsy on Wickrematunge’s body falsified the reports, further impeding the case. Worse still, a notebook found in his car at the time of the murder, which could have been key to understanding his last thoughts, was destroyed by one of the suspects—a person who has recently been exonerated by the Attorney General.

The CID investigation, led by Inspector Nishantha Silva, uncovered a direct link between the murder and the military unit known as the Tripoli Platoon, whose members were suspected of involvement in numerous acts of violence against journalists. However, despite this critical breakthrough, the investigation was stymied. In 2019, Silva was forced to flee the country following the chief suspect in the murder being elected as the head of State.

For the Wickrematunge family, the grief has been compounded by an endless cycle of frustration and disappointment. Every year that passes without justice adds another layer to the tragedy, not just for his loved ones, but for the very soul of journalism. The murder of Lasantha was not just an attack on one man; it was an assault on the idea of a free press, the right to speak truth to power, and the ability of the judicial system to hold the powerful accountable.

This case remains an indelible stain on the Sri Lankan judiciary and the institutions that are supposed to protect the rule of law. The Attorney General’s office, which should have been at the forefront of ensuring justice, has instead been complicit in covering up the truth. The Government’s failure to hold anyone accountable for Lasantha’s murder sends a chilling message to journalists and citizens alike: the truth can be buried, and the powerful can act with impunity.

As the years drag on, the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge should serve as a clarion call to both Sri Lanka and the international community. The fight for justice is not over. His death, and the persistent cover-up, remain a stark reminder of the lengths to which those in power will go to silence dissent and evade accountability. It is up to the people of Sri Lanka, and those who believe in justice, to demand that the truth finally be uncovered, and that justice be delivered, no matter how long it takes.