COLOMBO: Seriously!!! A Sri Lankan politician sentenced to death for murder was escorted out of prison on Sep 8 to become the first convict to take oath as a member of parliament.
Premalal Jayasekara from the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP) was convicted in August for murdering an opposition activist after opening fire at an election rally in 2015. But the 45-year-old’s sentence came after nominations for the Aug 5 poll, meaning he could still contest the election and take up his seat.
Opposition lawmakers wearing black shawls protested against Jayasekara as he took the oath and several staged a walkout. He is to be escorted back to prison after the day’s session. Jayasekara became the first convicted murderer to serve as an MP in Sri Lanka. He has been an MP since 2001.
Jayasekara is not the only legislator to be escorted from prison to parliament in Sri Lanka. Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, a first-time MP, is awaiting trial for alleged murder and is brought in for legislative sessions. More than 40 per cent of lawmakers in India’s parliament face criminal charges – some as serious as murder and rape.
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