The Department of Meteorology says South-West monsoon conditions are gradually getting established over the island and it will be in effect until 5.30 am tomorrow (20).
Cloudy skies can be expected over most parts of the island.
Meanwhile, wind speed in the sea areas of the relevant areas may increase to 55 – 65 kmph at times.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-western, Central, Southern and Northern provinces.
Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Puttalam, Nuwara-Eliya and Kandy districts.
Several spells of showers will occur in the North-central province.
Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere on the island during the evening or night.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
A senior official from the Ministry of Justice has given a statement to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding the alleged unlawful release of an inmate from Anuradhapura Prison under a presidential pardon granted for Vesak Poya.
Meanwhile, CID teams have been deployed to all 28 prisons across the island to investigate possible misuse of presidential pardons in the recent past.
Investigations are currently underway, and both the Anuradhapura Prison Superintendent and the Commissioner General of Prisons remain in remand over the incident.
The high-level Committee of Inquiry investigating allegations of gross abuse of power by suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon will commence daily hearings starting today (June 16) until the conclusion of the inquiry.
Accordingly, IGP Tennakoon appeared before the committee at 9.30 a.m. today continuing a process that began with his initial appearance in May.
The committee, chaired by Supreme Court Justice P. P. Surasena, includes Justice W.M.N.P. Iddawela and National Police Commission Chairman E.W.M. Lalith Ekanayake.
The committee has previously convened on several occasions and recorded statements from IGP Tennakoon and several others.
On June 11, the committee of inquiry with the participation of Additional Solicitor General (President’s Counsel) Dileepa Peiris and Deputy Solicitor General Rajitha Perera, representing the Attorney General’s Department, and R.S. Weerawickrama Attorney-at-Law, appearing on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, cross-examined the witnesses.