Former Member of Parliament and popular actor Ranjan Ramanayake who was released from Welikada Prison on conditional Presidential Pardon yesterday stated that he would like to re-enter Parliament through the people’s mandate and serve the people before his death.
Ramanayake has been imprisoned for about 01 year and 07 months.He also extended his gratitude to President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe for facilitating the pardon and his release from the prison.
Ramanayake who addressed the media in front of the Welikada prison stated that Justice Minister Dr.Rajapkshe requested me to promise him that I would continue my fight against bribery and corruption before the pardon was arranged. So, I believe that I have got permission to fight against corruption.
Ramanayake further said that he always speaks the bitter truth and stands by the people all the time. He also expressed his gratitude to all those who contributed to his pardon.
President Wickremesinghe yesterday (26) signed the document granting conditional Presidential Pardon to former Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake, who was serving a four year sentence on charges of Contempt of Court.
The President has granted pardon on the condition that Ramanayake should not make any statement critical or derogatory of the entire Judiciary in future.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Justice has been entrusted with the task of carrying out the necessary arrangements for Ramanayake’s release.
Ramanayake had made statements insulting the judiciary primarily outside Temple Trees on 21st August 2017. The Supreme Court delivered its judgement on 12th January 2021 convicting him for the offence of Contempt of Court and sentenced him to four years Rigorous Imprisonment. Submitting an Affidavit to court on Thursday (25), Ranjan Ramanayake had stated that having reflected deeply on the statement made by him outside Temple Trees on 21st of August 2017, he admits that the statement he made is completely and utterly false and derogatory and contemptuous of the entire Judiciary and humbly and profoundly apologized and sought the forgiveness of the entire Judiciary.
Further, Ramanayake also sought forgiveness for the derogatory statement he made outside the Supreme Court premises claiming that he would not withdraw the statement he made on the 21st of August 2017.
He also gave an assurance that he would never again, in his entire lifetime; make any statement critical or derogatory of the entire judiciary.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stated in a tweet yesterday that SJB has decided to appoint former MP Ramanayake to the first vacancy in its National List.
Confirming that statement, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, emphasized this again during the press conference held with former MP Ranjan Ramanayake after his release yesterday (26).
Ramanayake came out of the main gate of Welikada Prison yesterday (26) at around 2.45 pm after being freed. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa parliamentarians, artists and friends of Ranjan Ramanayake were present to welcome him.
Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara has also appointed Ramanayake as the ambassador for the welfare and promotion of expatriate workers. The position known as “Goodwill Ambassador of Migrant Workers” is a voluntary position. Chandana Ekanayake, Commissioner of Prisons Control and Rehabilitation had gone to the Ministry of Justice to get the letter containing the Presidential Pardon related to the release of Ramanayake and it took about two hours for the Prisons Department to prepare the necessary documents and release Ramanayake.
Ramanayake was granted permission for his request to continue his higher education activities from the prison during his imprisonment and attended the lectures of the external degree course in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Open University of Sri Lanka online. Ramanayake appeared for the first year final examination of his Bachelor of Arts Degree course last June 4 and he appeared for this examination under the special protection of the prison officers in accordance with the rules and regulations of the prison department.
Ramanayake who was first detained in Angunakolapelessa Prison, was transferred from Colombo National Hospital to Welikada Prison Hospital for treatment of a knee injury and was taken to the Orthopedic Clinic of Colombo National Hospital. He was an inmate in the prison hospital until yesterday (26) when he was released. He also went to the theater in Colombo City Centre on the 17th, under the protection of the prison officers, to watch the movie ‘The Game’ in which he acted.
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