COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka's president has assured non-interference in ongoing investigations on abductions, killings of journalists and other crimes allegedly committed by those connected to his new prime minister and Cabinet.
President Maithripala Sirisena said Sunday that the courts and police would continue to function independently despite Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa joining his government.
He said "no one can interfere" with the police and courts.
His remarks come amid growing fears that investigations into alleged killings and malpractices mostly blamed on the immediate family members of Rajapaksa and his Cabinet ministers would be stalled with Rajapaksa's appointment as prime minister last month.
Sri Lanka has been in a political crisis since Oct. 26, when Sirisena abruptly fired Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed Rajapaksa. Wickremesinghe said he has majority support in Parliament.
