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COPA instructs police to dispose all expired tear gas

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Chair of the Committee on Public Accounts – Lasantha Alagiyawanna informed the Department of Police to provide the next proposed program of the police department within a month yesterday (26).

The chair of the Committee stated the aforesaid yesterday (26) when Sri Lanka Police was summoned before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to examine the Auditor General’s report and current performance for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, the Inspector General of Police and many senior police officials were invited to this event.

It was questioned as to why when the department of police was called before COPA in 2016, a recommendation had been given in this regard, but it had not yet been implemented. The Inspector General of Police said that since it is difficult to set up a single information technology system for the Sri Lanka Police, steps will be taken to introduce information technology systems in segments.

Accordingly, the Inspector General of Police said that a new pilot project is currently being implemented in Hatton and Nuwara Eliya Police Stations where details can be obtained from the filing of a complaint to the status of its court proceedings.

The Committee Chair emphasized that it is essential to establish an information technology system in the police department where relevant information can be obtained immediately by integrating the motor transport department and other institutions. Accordingly, he instructed to give a report on the current program and the proposed plan to the Committee within a month.

Lack of female police officers

Issues such as the lack of female police officers in the Sri Lanka Police were also addressed. It was disclosed that there are 2419 female police constable vacancies and it was proposed to complete the said vacancies in the year 2023. However, it could not be done due to the current economic situation.

The Inspector General of Police said that the conventional context within the police force has been changed and the necessary reform program has been initiated to provide opportunities for women to higher positions including the post of Inspector General of Police in the future. He said that as a result, an opportunity will be provided for the emergence of a future female Inspector General of Police.

Dispose expired tear gas

Attention was also drawn to the expired tear gas belonging to the police. Senior police officers informed that the process of disposal of expired tear gas has started and they will never be used. The Committee instructed to dispose of the expired tear gas existing in all police stations across all of Sri Lanka.

Furthermore, according to international conventions, the Chair of the Committee informed that a report should be prepared and submitted to the COPA on the measures taken in controlling the public riots including tear gas.

Language skills

Special attention was also paid to the need to improve the language skills of police officers. Senior police officers pointed out that many programs have been started to impart Tamil and English language skills to police officers. The Committee emphasized the need to streamline those activities.

Issues related to police promotions, police reward fund management, road accident control, crime control and other problems and their solutions were also discussed here.

State Ministers Kader Mastan, Prasanna Ranaweera, Mohan Priyadarshana De Silva, Diana Gamage and Members of Parliament Tissa Attanayake, A. L. M. Athaullah, J. C. Alawathuwala, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, (Ms.) Manjula Dissanayake, (Ms.) Mudita Prashanthi, D. Weerasingha, (Dr.) Major Pradeep Undugoda, Ashok Abeysinghe, (Dr.) (Ms.) Harini Amarasuriya were present at the Committee meeting held. 

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Thilini Priyamali hospitalized ; case adjourned

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The Colombo High Court Judge Adithya Patabendige today (June 05) ordered a case filed before the Colombo High Court against Thilini Priyamali, the businesswoman who is accused of massive financial fraud, to be taken up for hearing on August 11.

The order was issued when the case against Priyamali over the misappropriation of Rs. 08 million, which was obtained from a person in the Matara area promising to provide a vehicle, was taken up for hearing.

At the time, the defendant Thilini Priyamali did not appear before the courts, and her attorney stated before the courts that her client is receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo due to an illness.

Accordingly, the judge who ordered the case to be adjourned until August 11, also ordered the defending party to appear before courts on the relevant date with an accepted medical report of the defendant.

The relevant case has been filed by the Attorney General, accusing that an amount of Rs. 8 million, which was obtained by the accused in the year 2010, promising an individual in the Matara area a vehicle, had been misappropriated.

(adaderana.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Building occupied by Raju Radha, entangled in shady dealings!

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A group of around 50 people have reportedly tried to take over the Green Lanka building at Navam Mawatha in Colombo 02, after gradually entering the building since Saturday night (03).

The building is said to have been forcibly occupied by Indian businessman Raju Radha for some time now.
The first group of around 12 persons had entered the building around 10.45 pm last Saturday, and entered the sixth and seventh floors of the building where the Indian businessman is residing.

This was followed by a group of nearly 50 people entering the same floors around 1.00 am yesterday.

Subsequently, the Kompanna Vidiya police had entered the building, removed the trespassers and recorded statements.

Officials of Mercantile Investments – the company currently owning the building, have also given statements to the police.

Police later said that 23 people who were arrested for trespassing the building were released.

However, reports say that the police chief had acted in favour of Mr. Radha. A ministry-level inquiry is also to be launched in this regard, reports add.

According to reports, a retired Senior Superintendent of Police by the name Bandula, has been tasked with the building’s security by Mr. Radha.

‘Shady dealings’
This nine-storey building initially belonging to Green Lanka has been mortgaged by its owners to Mercantile Investments, a leasing company located in Kollupitiya.

The leasing company has filed a case in the Supreme Court that the Indian national Raju Radha is illegally occupying and using this building through a Malaysian company, Asia Capital PLC.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched an investigation into the allegations that Mr. Radha has been staying in the building since 2014 with the backing of political and high-ranking police officials and had rented out the floors of the building to several companies.

The second floor of the building has been rented by Pastor Jerome Fernando to conduct religious services.
It is also reported several relatives of the Thondaman family, former Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) director – Ravi Waidyalankara and his son, as well as former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s private secretary – Uditha Lokubandara, have houses in this building.

It was reported that a nightclub owned by well known businessman Nalin Fonseka, is also located in the building.

A cafe owned by Raju Radha’s daughter is located at the rooftop, reports add.

Previously, media had reported that some individuals in this building had been accused of forcibly seizing property and land worth billions after deceiving wives of Colombo businessmen.

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Cancer vaccine misused as skin-whitening

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The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) said that complaints have been received that some people use Glutathione vaccine to whiten the skin.

Glutathione is given on low-doses to reduce complications of cancer patients.

NMRA Chief Food and Drug Inspector Amith Perera said that some private hospitals use the vaccine for cosmetic purposes, and it has been reported that customers who come for skin whitening are charged about Rs.100,000.

Information has been revealed that this vaccine is given to both male and female customers belonging to different ages who come for skin whitening at some beauty salons as well as in apartments.

Mr. Perera said the use of glutathione tablets and creams to whiten and lighten the skin is allowed by law, but the use of the vaccine is not allowed.

“People who use the vaccine develop many side effects, especially kidney issues, complications related to blood vessels, and various thyroid disorders. We are working to take legal action against private hospitals and salons that use these injections,” he said.

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