Army personnel held in weapons transportation probe

AG orders probe on Police Spokesman

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The police have taken two army personnel into custody in connection with the ongoing investigation into the alleged transportation of a stock of weapons to Pitipana, Homagama during the height of the covid-19 epidemic.

Police spokesman and attorney-at-law SSP Jaliya Senaratne said so in response to a query raised during hastily arranged media conference at the police headquarters yesterday.

SSP Senaratne said that the CID had detained two army personnel and more arrests were likely depending on the investigation.

Asked whether the weapons belonged to the LTTE and the number of weapons, SSP Senaratne said that they were inquiring into the origin of the weapons and why they were moved to Colombo. Out of the smuggled lethal haul 13 T 56 assault rifles and one T 81 weapon had been recovered so far, the police official said, explaining the progress made by investigators.

Among those who had been so far arrested in connection with the high profile investigation included Sub Inspector of Police attached to the Special Task Force (STF) and print media journalist Prasad Abeywickrema. SSP Senaratne alleged that the journalist had abused his media accreditation to facilitate the transportation of weapons to Colombo.

The police spokesman said that the ongoing investigation hadn’t revealed the involvement of any other journalist in the alleged transportation of weapons.

SSP Senaratne said that the police commando had been arrested on a charge of aiding and abetting drug dealers. According to him, the Officer-in-Charge of Intelligence and Special Operations of the STF detachment in Mannar had been arrested on Tuesday night (18).

The police spokesman explained that investigations-the transportation of weapons to Colombo and the arrest of police commando were separate cases though being carried out as part of the overall crackdown on the underworld.

The police spokesman released a long list of recoveries and detections made in the recent past.

The Island sought the police spokesman’s views on Justice Minister Ali Sabry PC’s accusation pertaining to direct nexus between the lawbreakers and four state institutions-the police, the prisons, the Government Analyst’s Department and the Registrars of courts. Asked whether the police could explain law enforcement and other government personnel dealing in heroin, SSP Senaratne claimed that the case involving PNB personnel as well as the arrest of Government Analyst’s Department personnel were isolated cases.

Senaratne said that it wouldn’t be fair to target entire institutions over isolated cases.

The media raised the Attorney General Dappula de Livera raising the conduct of the OIC, Negombo and the Police Spokesman in respect of statements/claims regarding the arrest of Superintendent of Negombo Police Anuruddha Sampayo on July 2 in Kurunegala.

SSP Senaratne said that the AG had instructed Acting IGP C.D. Wickramaratne to inquire into his conduct as well as that of the Negombo OIC. The AG had disputed the Negombo OIC’s version of Sampayo’s arrest. SSP Senaratne said that he couldn’t discuss the matter as an investigation was underway. The police spokesman said that he addressed the media on the basis of information provided to him.

Coordinator to the AG, State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne told The Island that instructions were issued yesterday.