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| - Retired Police Officer Shani Abeysekara Reintegrated & Appointed as the Director of a New Police Asset Recovery Unit? Find out the facts…
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Since the National People's Power (NPP) formed the new government, numerous misleading posts regarding the NPP's appointment into critical positions in the state sector have come under scrutiny. This has also led to the creation of several misleading posts on social media.
Social Media Posts
Social media posts claim that retired Police Officer Shani Abeysekara has been reintegrated into the Sri Lanka Police, has been appointed the director of a newly created Police Asset Recovery Unit, and will be promoted to DIG as the next step.
Below is another post with the same there, which was shared on Facebook.
We decided to do a fact-check on this.
Fact-check
Mainstream Media Review: We searched reputable mainstream media outlets for reports on this claim. None of the established media platforms reported the creation of a new "Police Asset Recovery Unit" or Shani Abeysekara's appointment as its director.
However, reports confirm that Abeysekara has been reinstated to the Sri Lanka Police on a contract basis for one year, effective October 10, 2024. He has been appointed as the Director of the Central Criminal Intelligence Analysis Bureau (CCIAB), not a new asset recovery unit. More details can be found here.
Police Media Unit Confirmation
We contacted the Sri Lanka Police Media Unit, who verified the following:
Shani Abeysekara has indeed been reintegrated into the police service, but his role is as the Director of the Central Criminal Intelligence Analysis Bureau (CCIAB), not the head of a newly formed Police Asset Recovery Unit.
The Police Media Unit also confirmed that Abeysekara has not yet assumed his new role. The country is currently in the midst of an election period, causing delays in formal appointments.
Regarding the claim of an impending promotion to Deputy Inspector General (DIG), the Police Media Unit stated that no decision has been confirmed regarding a possible promotion for Abeysekara. As of now, this remains speculative and unverified.
Appointment During an Election Period Comes Under Scrutiny
Issuing a press release, the Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies, Manjula Gajanayake, points out that even though the capabilities of Mr Abeysekara are not questionable, since he was a member of a collective of retired police officers who actively campaigned for NPP at the last Presidential poll and highlights that this appointment which has the approval of the Cabinet as well as the National Police Commission was made after the parliamentary Election was called.
Responding to questions about the decision to appoint retired officer Shani Abeysekara, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Vijitha Herath stated that Shani was a victim of injustice from the previous regime. The minister added that this appointment was also made considering the capabilities of a talented officer like Mr Abeysekara, who can serve the nation progressively.
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Conclusion:
The social media claim that Shani Abeysekara has been appointed director of a newly created "Police Asset Recovery Unit" is false. While Shani has been reappointed to the service for one year on a contract basis, the Sri Lanka Police confirm that the appointment is for the Central Criminal Intelligence Analysis Bureau (CCIAB). Additionally, the claim about an imminent promotion to DIG is unsubstantiated.
We recommend relying on credible sources and official statements for updates on such matters.
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