National Police Commission Secretary to be arrested | Daily News
Avant Garde floating armoury case:

National Police Commission Secretary to be arrested

The Secretary to the National Police Commission (NPC), Saman Dissanayake, as well as a former Senior Additional Secretary to the Defence Ministry, Damayanthi Jayaratne, are to be arrested in connection with the probe into the Avant Garde floating armoury case.

While re-affirming his earlier instructions to arrest several individuals in connection with the magisterial inquiry into the Avant Garde’s floating armoury case, Attorney General Dappula de Livera PC yesterday re-directed the Acting IGP to arrest the National Police Commission Secretary.

Saman Dissanayake is to be arrested for his suspected involvement in the Avant Garde operation while he was serving as an Additional Secretary at the Defence Ministry at the time. Earlier, a Fundamental Rights petition by Dissanayake seeking an interim order preventing his arrest, had been dismissed by court.

The Co-ordinating Officer to the Attorney General, State Counsel Ms. Nishara Jayaratne told news media that the Attorney General made this instruction pursuant to the Acting IGP’s letter dated July 11, 2019 seeking legal advice regarding two suspects namely Saman Dissanayake and Damayanthi Jayaratne.

On July 5, the Attorney General had directed the Acting IGP to arrest Avant-Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi and seven others and produce them in Court in connection with the magisterial inquiry into the Avant Garde’s floating armoury case at Galle Magistrate’s Court.

The Attorney General maintained that there is no obstacle to arrest National Police Commission Secretary Saman Dissanayake since a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Dissanayake, who sought an Interim Order restraining CID from arresting him, was dismissed. The Attorney General also directed the Acting IGP to arrest former Senior Additional Defence Secretary Damayanthi Jayaratne.

On July 5, the Attorney General directed the Acting IGP Chandana Wickremeratne to arrest the following suspects for illegally operating merchant vessels carrying stocks of firearms and explosives including 813 unlicensed automatic firearms and 200,935 rounds of ammunition on the seas off Galle. They are: retired Major General Palitha Fernando, retired Major General Karunaratne Egodawele, Avant-Garde company Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi, retired Navy Commodore Vishvajith Nandana Diyabalanage, retired Air Vice Marshall P.D. Premachandra, National Police Commission Secretary and former Additional Defence Secretary Saman Dissanayake, former Senior Additional Defence Secretary Damayanthi Jayaratne and, Rakna Lanka company Chairman Victor Samaraweera.

The CID, which is conducting investigations into the matter, had earlier reported to the Attorney General that two suspects, namely Nissanka Senadhipathi and Nandana Diyabalanage, have already fled the country.

The Attorney General maintained that there is sufficient evidence to prove that the eight suspects had committed punishable offences under the Firearms Ordinance and Explosives Ordinance.

The Attorney General further states that three suspects, namely Saman Dissanayake, P.D. Premachandra and Nissanka Senadhipathi, could be charged for fabricating false evidence under section 189 and 190 of the Penal Code.

 


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