(COLOMBO) – A controversial Sri Lankan policeman widely known as a ‘yes’ man for his political links to the Government and elsewhere was on Wednesday appointed as the island-nations Actg. Police Chief.
Deshabandu Tennakoon, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) and currently in charge of the Western Province, has been appointed as the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Police Media said in a statement.
The appointment was made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe according to powers vested with him, and Tennakoon will serve as the Acting IGP for a period of three months, the statement said.
It added that the appointment comes after former Police Chief C. D. Wickramaratne stepped down on November 25 after four service extensions.
SDIG Tennakoon is widely known for his cozy links with politicians on all sides of the political divide and was even recently accused of being on the payroll of the country’s cricket board, while still in uniform, something he has vehemently denied.
He is also a close friend of Tiran Alles, the Minister of Public Security.
The Police Department comes under the purview of the Ministry of Public Security.
Alles, himself faced criminal charges in the past for alleged misappropriation of public funds during the regime of Mahinda Rajapakse between 2005 to 2015 and was held in remand prison for several months.
He was later freed after the charges could not be upheld in court.
In a related development a proposal is to be presented to the next meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, stipulating the duration of the tenure of the IGP, where the service period will be kept at a maximum of three years.
