brand logo

Govt. denies witch hunt against Manusha

22 Jul 2021

  • Claims Premadasa’s claims a sham
  • Follows Manusha’s revelations of Govt. project
BY Buddhika Samaraweera The Public Security Ministry, under the purview of which the Police Department falls, has denied the recent allegations made by the Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa that the Government has started a political witch hunt against SJB Parliamentarian Manusha Nanayakkara for making allegations regarding a project to modernise the Police traffic system on Tuesday (20). Speaking to the media during a protest in Divulapitiya on 21 July, Premadasa alleged that the Ahangama Police and the Habaraduwa Police had been instructed by high level authorities to investigate all possible matters pertaining to Nanayakkara. “Nanayakkara made a revelation on Tuesday regarding a conflict of interest. He informed the Parliament of an irregularity taking place in the Police Department. Public Security Minister Dr. Sarath Weerasekera was informed of this too. He did his duty for the country and the people, but the political witch hunt targeting MPs began the moment after his revelation,” he claimed. “The Ahangama Police and the Habaraduwa Police have been told to find out everything about Nanayakkara. The political witch hunt targeting MPs has begun. We in the SJB are not afraid of it, and are ready to make any sacrifice for the people of this country,” Premadasa added. However, when contacted by The Morning yesterday (22), Public Security Ministry Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Jagath Alwis denied the allegation made by Premadasa and said: “We have many other jobs to do rather than following Nanayakkara.” He also said that he does not believe the allegation that the Ahangama and Habaraduwa Police Stations have been instructed by high level authorities to investigate matters pertaining to Nanayakkara, and further assured that the Public Security Ministry has not given any such instruction. Speaking in the Parliament on 20 July, Nanayakkara alleged that two former board members of a certain company that imports equipment required for a project to modernise the Police traffic system have been appointed as members of a sub-committee appointed to call for a report on the same project. “This proposal states that the equipment required for this project will be imported by a certain company. The advisor you (a reference to Dr. Weerasekera) have appointed to that sub-committee is an individual who has also worked in that private company. He has also served as a member of the board of directors of said company, and I have the relevant appointment letter,” he claimed. Speaking further, Nanayakkara alleged that another person from a State information technology company had also been appointed to said sub-committee, and that he too had been a member of the board of directors of the aforesaid company. Accordingly, a tailor-made Cabinet paper has been submitted as per the wishes of this company (the company alleged to be engaged in the importation of the equipment needed for the project), he claimed. “There is information and reports that this matter has also been discussed where it has been stated that ‘the Police per year receives Rs. 4.7 billion in fines and we shall take Rs. 83 million a month from those fines as a rental’. Even the audio recordings pertaining to such are in our possession,” Nanayakkara further claimed. He further said that all relevant files would be tabled in Parliament, and that he hoped to lodge complaints in this regard with the President and all the other relevant authorities. A proposal submitted to the Police regarding the project in question was tabled by Nanayakkara. Dr. Weerasekera subsequently requested the presiding MP of the House for an opportunity to deliver a complete response on this matter at the next Parliamentary sitting.  


More News..