The Director of the Special Investigation Unit of the Police Department, SSP Wickramasinghe, informed the court today that he was threatened by Senior DIG Deshbandu Tennakoon for reporting facts to the court regarding the investigations into the money recovered by protesters inside the President’s House on July 9.
In a report filed before Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage, SSP Wickremasinghe informed the court that he was threatened by Senior DIG Tennakoon for reporting the facts to the court over an allegation that Senior DIG Tennakoon used undue influence to hand over the money found inside the President’s House to a Minister without keeping it under court custody.
SSP Wickramasinghe said that he was threatened with phone calls, citing “I will take care of you in the future,” and the incident was brought to the attention of the Inspector General of Police as well.
Wickramasinghe further informed the court that he has made notes regarding these threats and said he is expecting to file a complaint with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission in this regard.
Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage observed that the court would make an appropriate order after receiving an analytical report pertaining to the telephone conversation details regarding alleged threats made by Deshbandu Tennakoon.
This information was revealed when a case filed against the convener of the Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF), Wasantha Mudalige, Fr. Jeewantha Peiris, and 71 others for forcibly entering the President’s House on the 9th of July was taken for inquiry before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.
The SIU Investigations revealed Western Province Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon had informed the Fort Police OIC through a phone call to handing over the sum of Rs. 17.85 Million recovered from the President’s House to the Minister of Public Security.
The court had earlier issued an order directing the IGP to conduct a comprehensive investigation regarding the failure on the part of Fort Worth Police to keep recovered money under judicial custody.
However, on July 27, the Fort Pierce Police handed over the recovered money to the court following a court order.
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