{
  "id": 11314305,
  "title": "Ex-minister Johnston alleges some officials fabricating evidence against political opponents",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/ex-minister-johnston-alleges-some-officials-fabricating-evidence",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T23:45:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/ex-minister-johnston-alleges-some-officials-fabricating-evidence-against-political-opponents/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Minister and Operations Head Johnston Fernando has accused certain government officials of illegally fabricating evidence against opposition politicians. During a recent interview with reporters, Fernando expressed trust in the judiciary's independence but expressed concern over certain officials' actions. He stated, \"We've never had conflicts with the courts, yet they are powerless when presented with fabricated evidence.\" Fernando alleged that a select few officials were using this tactic to advance the government's agenda and that the public was aware of the situation. He further claimed that individuals are often released on bail only to face additional charges. Fernando also suggested that the government exploits the remanding and imprisonment of political opponents to generate publicity. He stated, \"The SLPP will hold its next rally in Matara, but the government has little to show in terms of development projects or measures to reduce the prices of essential goods. Their only news is about arresting people.\" Fernando cautioned that politicians should not intervene in legal matters, warning that this could set a dangerous precedent. He emphasized, \"Independent institutions must function as independent institutions.\"",
  "summary": "Former Minister and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Head of Operations Johnston Fernando has alleged that certain officials are abusing the law and fabricating evidence against selected opposition politicians. Speaking to journalists near the Fort Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, Fernando said he had faith in an independent judiciary but was concerned about the actions of […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}