Side effects of the drug menace - EDITORIAL

Despite the on-going war against narcotic drugs and the hangman’s noose hanging over the necks of repeat drug-offenders, there are also reports of drug trafficking making inroads into Sri Lanka with the proliferation of various kinds of drugs such as heroin, hashish, cannabis, methamphetamine, cocaine and psychotropic substances.In the wake ofthe foregoing, there have also been several instances of large quantities of narcotics being detected, seized and some hundreds of kilos of narcotics being destroyed, comes the news ofthe most recent arrest by the Police of two suspects and the detection of 50 kilograms of heroin worth Rs.500 million found concealed in a luxury vehicle at the Athurugiriya entrance to the Southern Highway.   

When taking these matters into consideration, it makes one to wonder whether Sri Lanka is being gradually turned into a transshipment hub for narcotics or whether the drugs entering Sri Lanka are meant to cater to the needs of the drug addicts in the country. The other matter that needs to be highlighted is the fact that even though we read reports of so many drug importers, traffickers and distributors arrested by the Police and spending time behind bars as state guests; there appear to be so many other drug kingpins out in the open freely operating their nefarious activities, preying on the vulnerable, inducing them to indulge in the use of narcotics and in the long term turning them into habitual drug addicts.   

It is against this background that we focus today on a drug-related double-murder, which took place on January 31, 2012 in the laid back village of Kotakethana at Kahawatte where the lives of two innocent villagers were snuffed out without any qualms whatsoever so that the drug dealers and the distributors in the area could have an uninterrupted space to ply their illicit trade while in the process of destroying for ever the lives of those who fall into the devious traps laid by those importing, dealing and distributing various kinds of drugs while remaining outside the radar of the law enforcement agencies.   

The investigation into the gruesome double murder, which sparked outrage and indignation across the country, and the evidence presented in Court by the prosecution resulted in the first accused Lokugamhewage Dharshana alias Raju being found guilty of murdering 52-year-old Nayana Nilmini and her 17-year-old daughter Kavindya Chathurika, a student of Ferguson Girl’s school in Ratnapura and sentenced to death by High Court Judge Vikum Kaluarachchi on Monday, October 14. Prior to passing the death sentence after a lengthy trial, the Judge observed that the prosecution had proved the case against the accused beyond any reasonable doubt.   

Though initially the Attorney General had indicted both Raju and his wife Ashoka Chandani Kumari alias ‘Batti’in the High Court on charges of murdering the mother and daughter, the Court acquitted Batti on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute her.   

According to what transpired in Court, Nilmini’s body was found lying on a blood-stained bed in her home while Kavindya’s body was found at the Opatha Estate in Kotakethana. But the DNA tests carried out on the blood stains had proved that even Kavindiya had been murdered on same bed before dumping her body in the estate.   

Investigations also revealed that the first accused, convicted of the double murder, is the brother of former provincial councillor Dharmasiri Lokugam Hewage in whose home was discovered a parcel of narcotic drugs, which led to the arrest of his son Sampath Lokugam Hewage. It was also revealed that the motive behind the murder was the belief that Nilmini was the person who had tipped off the Police that Sampath was trafficking in drugs while at the time of his arrest he had in his possession 15.7 grams of heroin.   

These heartless murders will no doubt trigger fresh questions on the pros and cons of activating or re-instituting the death penalty for criminals such as those who care little or nothing for human life other than to earn filthy lucre and live lives of luxury even at the cost of destroying the innocent.   
There is no gainsaying the fact that the kingpins and the manipulators behind the drug trade need to be arrested though this is of course easier said than done because the drug kingpins powerful as they are are more often than not sponsored and patronised by powerful politicians who are experts in the art of surviving whichever government takes office.   

To eradicate this menace we need leaders with a political will, commitment and dedication to do what is right no matter what obstacles they might have to face in doing it.