• The former PC is also a suspect in Raviraj murder 
• Cab. Spokesperson wants SLPP-Namal to surrender him 

Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa revealed that Sampath Manamperi, who is accused of concealing two container loads of raw materials allegedly used to manufacture the drug crystal methamphetamine (‘Ice’), which belong to organised crime suspect ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’, has been identified as a former Police intelligence officer.

Participating in the weekly Cabinet media briefing held yesterday (9), Dr. Jayatissa said that the absconding suspect has also been identified as a suspect in the murder of the former Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian Nadarajah Raviraj. 

He further stated: “This person named Manamperi has served as a Police Constable for a while. He has also served as an intelligence officer for a short period. He had also been identified as a suspect in the murder of Raviraj.” 

Jayatissa stated that despite those allegations, he had contested as a candidate of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and that therefore, simply cancelling his Party membership would not suffice. 

“This Manamperi family is a family that politicians in areas including Tangalle, Middeniya, and Hambantota have closely associated with and visited. Therefore, the biggest thing that the SLPP Members including Opposition MP Namal Rajapaksa can do is to hand over Manamperi to the Police,” he said.