Several areas in and around Colombo sustained significant damage last night (May 29) as strong winds swept through the city, toppling trees and disrupting traffic movement.

Large trees were reported to have fallen along the Colombo–Galle Road, especially between Kollupitiya and Wellawatte, with similar incidents also occurring in other parts of the city, including Grandpass.

In one of the most severe incidents, a massive tree collapsed on St. Joseph’s Road in Grandpass, causing damage to at least six nearby houses.

No casualties have been reported.

Former Senior Lecturer of the Sinhala Division at the University of Peradeniya, Attanayake M.Herath, has passed away after a prolonged illness.

He served the university with distinction until his retirement in 2018.

His contributions to Sinhala education and academia will be remembered by colleagues and students alike.

Following the imprisonment of former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando, it came to light that the government has instructed for the expedition of investigations into well over 20 more similar cases involving former MPs and officials.

Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told the Media that these cases, some of them as old as 10-15 years, had been swept under the carpet in the past under different governments.

He said the current government, formed by the National People’s Power (NPP), had opened up these cases and instructed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to expedite inquiries and investigations for early litigation.

“I can talk about the cases now pending before the CID. There are well over 20 cases involving former MPs who even held ministerial posts in the past. There are officials. I cannot divulge names offhand,” he said.

He said some of the cases are handled by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

The Minister who also served in the Anti-Corruption Committee formed by the previous Yahapalana government said some of the cases under investigation by the CID would be assigned to the Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID).

“We have revived the FCID. It runs short of officers qualified enough for investigation into financial crimes. We have taken measures to address it in addition to providing resources to it for efficiency,” he said.

Punishing the wrongdoers for the abuse of state resources and embezzlement of public money was a main campaign slogan of the NPP in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections last year. The government leaders, including President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, have vowed repeatedly that the law would be enforced against wrongdoers soon.

Mr. Aluthgamage and Mr. Fernando became the first two politicians to be convicted after the NPP government was formed. Besides, former Ministers Keheliya Rambukwella, Prasanna Ranaweera and Mervyn Silva are now in remand over cases involving their past actions.

Meanwhile, the opposition charges that the government is hounding its members for political reasons.

(Daily Mirror)

(This story, originally published by Daily Mirror has not been edited by SLM staff)