Once known as a commanding figure in the Sri Lankan Police force, Deshabandu Tennakoon was a familiar name among both his peers and the public. With an authoritative presence and a reputation for decisive policing, he stood out in a career spanning more than two decades. Yet, his once-rising career met a sudden and historic collapse, as Parliament this week was informed that he has been found guilty by a committee of the various charges of misconduct and abuse of power levelled against him.
Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne made the announcement, confirming the findings of a Special Parliamentary Committee set up under the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act No. 05 of 2002. This marked a watershed moment in Sri Lanka’s Constitutional history, the first time an Inspector General of Police (IGP) was found guilty by a Parliamentary Committee investigating allegations against a sitting IGP.
From Nalanda to IGP
Born in 1971, Deshabandu Tennakoon was educated at Nalanda College, one of Colombo’s most prestigious schools. He joined the Sri Lanka Police Service in February 1998 and steadily rose through the ranks. Originally set to retire in 2031, his journey is now likely to be cut short in a highly public and controversial manner.
Over the years, Tennakoon built a reputation for strong leadership. Before being formally appointed as the IGP, he served multiple times as Acting IGP and was often at the centre of departmental discussions and public debates. His formal appointment as the 36th IGP of Sri Lanka came on February 26, 2024, following the retirement of his predecessor, C.D. Wickramaratne, in September 2023.
A controversial appointment
Tennakoon’s appointment was mired in controversy from the outset. The Constitutional Council recommended his name for the top post, and President Ranil Wickremesinghe approved the decision. However, this recommendation became the subject of a legal challenge that reached the Supreme Court.
He only held the official IGP position for a brief five months before the Court issued a restraining order on July 24, 2024, prohibiting him from performing his duties. No other IGP in Sri Lanka’s 159-year police history had ever been restrained from duty by court order.
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake appointed Senior Deputy IGP and Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasuriya as Acting IGP on September 27, 2024, to ensure the continued functioning of the Police Department.
In the days following he was also subject to a manhunt after arrest warrants were issued in connection with the fatal shooting of a Colombo Crime Division officer near a hotel in Weligama on December 31, 2023. Despite the court issuing warrants for his arrest on February 28, Tennakoon managed to avoid capture for nearly 20 days.
He ultimately surrendered to the Matara Magistrate’s Court on March 19 after his writ petition was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Following his surrender, Tennakoon was remanded in Angunakolapelessa Prison under special security arrangements and later transferred to Dumbara Prison in Pallekele days later.
The Committee and its findings
The Parliamentary Committee investigating Tennakoon was composed of Supreme Court Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, Police Commission Chairman Retired High Court Justice Lalith Ekanayake, and Bribery Commission Chairman Retired Justice Neil Iddawala.
Under the powers vested in them through Section 6 (Sub-section B) of the Act, the Committee reviewed over 20 charges against Tennakoon. These included allegations of misconduct and abuse of office. Following its inquiry, the Committee unanimously concluded that Tennakoon was guilty as charged.
Speaker Wickramaratne, announcing the decision, said, “This marks a historic moment in our Constitutional journey. This is the first time in the history of the Republic of Sri Lanka that such a committee has presented its official decision recommending the removal of an IGP under the legal provisions enacted by Parliament.”
What comes next?
According to a senior Parliament official, the next step involves a formal debate on the Committee’s report. This will be followed by a vote on a motion to remove Deshabandu Tennakoon from office. The motion must be listed on the parliamentary agenda for five days before it is taken up for a vote. The debate is to be held on August 5.
Meanwhile, legal experts say that while Parliament can remove the IGP from office, any further action would depend on findings of criminal conduct. If the report of the parliamentary committee reveals any criminal wrongdoing, the Criminal Investigation Department or the Bribery Commission can investigate and file cases.
Legal troubles continue
Adding to Tennakoon’s woes, on the same day the Speaker announced the Committee’s decision, the Supreme Court granted leave to proceed with an appeal filed by the Attorney General. The appeal challenges a Court of Appeal ruling that invalidated a letter naming Tennakoon as a suspect in the Gotagogama crackdown investigation.
The letter, issued on April 19, 2023, by the Attorney General to the CID, identified then-Senior DIG Tennakoon as a suspect. However, a Court of Appeal Bench, led by then-President Justice Nishshanka Bandula Karunaratne, later nullified this designation. The Supreme Court has now stayed the Court of Appeal’s ruling until it delivers its final verdict.
A history of crisis in the IGP office
Tennakoon is not the first IGP to find himself at the centre of controversy. In the long history of the Sri Lanka Police, which dates back to 1866, the role has often been fraught with political and social tension.
The first major resignation from the post occurred in 1937 when H.L. Dowbiggin, a British national and the longest-serving IGP, resigned over the “Wescreative incident.”
An Australian Estate Superintendent named Wescreative had developed close ties with the Lanka Sama Samaja Party. Despite attempts by the colonial administration to deport him, he went underground and remained at large despite a police manhunt. The colonial police force’s failure to apprehend him and a Supreme Court ruling allowing him to stay in the country eventually led to Dowbiggin’s resignation.
Sri Lanka’s police history has also seen other turbulent episodes involving IGPs, including Mahinda Balasuriya and Pujith Jayasundara. But Deshabandu Tennakoon now joins the list as the most prominent example of a top cop being publicly censured and sidelined through Constitutional and judicial means.
Who will be next?
If Tennakoon is effectively removed from duty, attention will then turn to who will succeed him. While Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya is a strong contender, having served at every rank from Police Constable to Assistant Superintendent, other frontrunners include Senior DIGs Lalith Pathinayake and S. Dharmaratne.
The final decision lies with the President and the Constitutional Council, and in a climate of heightened scrutiny, the selection process is expected to be cautious and deliberate.
A cautionary tale
Deshabandu Tennakoon’s fall from grace serves as a powerful reminder of the responsibilities that come with high office. It is also a black mark in the history of the Sri Lanka Police, a department that has seen many distinguished leaders since its inception. The historic nature of this decision will likely echo into the future as a lesson for those who aspire to lead the nation’s law enforcement institutions.
This episode, unprecedented in its Constitutional, legal, and political dimensions, underscores the need for accountability, integrity, and transparency at the highest levels of public service. For the Sri Lanka Police, it is a moment of reckoning and hopefully, one that will pave the way for a stronger, more accountable force in the years to come.
