High Ranking NCPA Official Removed On President’s Directive

The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) Deputy Chairman Sajeeva Samaranayake had allegedly submitted a sworn affidavit to an Australian Court stating, that Sri Lanka was not a save environment for children and that the justice system as a whole did not respond effectively to cases of child abuse. This adverse report about protection of children in Srilanka badly affects the image of the country in the eyes of the international community. Hence, President Maithriapala Sirisena has directed relevant authorities to remove him immediately from his position and to carry out an investigation to find out the circumstances under which this affidavit was submitted on 7 th April 2017, to establish whether there is precedent created earlier and also to look into whether NCPA officials benefited from Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) operating in the country.