The Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, will travel to Colombo from March 19-21, the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka announces.

During his visit, Admiral Paparo will engage with senior Sri Lankan government officials and military leaders to reaffirm the enduring U.S.-Sri Lankan security partnership and share the U.S. vision for regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific. Commander Paparo’s visit underscores the United States’ ongoing commitment to enhancing security cooperation with Sri Lanka and addressing shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific, the embassy adds.

Adm. Sam Paparo, a native of Morton, Pennsylvania, graduated from Villanova University and was commissioned in 1987. He is the son of a former enlisted Marine and the grandson of a World War II enlisted Sailor. He has earned a Master of Arts in International Studies from Old Dominion University and a Master of Science in Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. A U.S. Naval Aviator, he is a TOPGUN graduate and has flown over 6,000 hours in the F-14, F-15 and F/A-18 and 1,100 carrier landings.

Operational command tours at sea include Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195 in the Forward Deployed Naval Forces, Yokosuka, Japan, deploying in Kitty Hawk Strike Group; Commander, Carrier Air Wing 7, embarked in Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group and Commander, Carrier Strike Group Ten. On the ground, he commanded Provincial Reconstruction Team, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, with the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Other operational assignments at sea include Fighter Squadron (VF) 14, flying the F-14 Tomcat with USS John F. Kennedy and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Groups, and VFA-15, flying the F/A-18 Hornet with USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Enterprise Strike Groups. He served also on exchange duty with the U.S. Air Force flying the F-15C Eagle with the 71st Fighter Squadron, deploying multiple times to Saudi Arabia and Keflavik, Iceland. In joint operational service, he was Battle Director at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Al Udeid, Qatar.

Shore assignments include the staff of Commander, Naval Air Forces, as F/A-18 training, readiness and requirements officer. He served as commanding officer of VFA-106 and served on the Chief of Naval Operations staff as OPNAV N80 branch head. He served as executive assistant to Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and then to the 31st Chief of Naval Operations.

He was Director of Operations, J3, U.S. Central Command. He was Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet/Combined Maritime Forces. His most recent assignment was Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet from May 2021 to April 2024.

Paparo assumed duties as Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in May 2024. He is the 27th commander of the nation’s oldest and largest combatant command. USINDOPACOM includes 380,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Guardians, Coast Guardsmen and Department of Defense civilians and is responsible for all U.S. military activities in the Indo-Pacific, covering 36 nations, 14 time zones, and 60 percent of the world’s population.

Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has been taken to the maximum security prison in Angunakolapelessa, reports say.

According to sources, he has been detained in a normal ward at the prison.

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Fmr. IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon remanded (Update)

SLC denies making alleged salary payments to fmr. IGP Tennakoon

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has denied allegations raised by MP Hesha Withanage over paying former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon a salary of Rs. 150,000 and providing him with other perks.

The allegations were made by the MP during the Parliamentary debate on the Appropriation Bill held yesterday (March 18).

The full statement made by SLC in this regard is as follows :

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wishes to categorically deny and strongly refute the baseless and false allegations made by Hon. MP Hesha Withanage during the Parliamentary debate on the Appropriation Bill held on 18th March 2025.
During the said debate, MP Withanage alleged that Sri Lanka Cricket has paid a sum of Rs. 150,000/= as a salary to Deshabandu Tennakoon, then Inspector General of Police, and further claimed that SLC had provided him with a laptop, mobile phone, and other perks as per an Executive Committee decision. It was also asserted that these actions amounted to bribery and that the officials of Sri Lanka Cricket should be held accountable under the provisions of law for offering a bribe.

Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to firmly state that these allegations are completely false, baseless, and devoid of any factual foundation.

We wish to state that Sri Lanka Cricket is acutely aware of its primary responsibility to ensure the highest level of security for foreign national teams, international tours, players, events, and visiting dignitaries, including state heads. As such, SLC continuously engages with Sri Lanka’s security personnel, including high-ranking army personnel and senior police officers, to maintain the safety and security of all involved.

In this regard, it is a common and essential practice to enlist the support of both active and retired high-ranking officers to ensure comprehensive safety measures during international cricket tours.

During the period when Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon served as the Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Western Province, SLC sought his expertise on security matters related to international tours. This request was made during a time when the country was experiencing a “New Normal’ situation emanating out of the Covid pandemic,’ where SLC had to take extra precautions to implement the “Covid Protocols’ enforced by the health authorities to ensure the safety of the players and officials engaged in playing international and domestic cricket tournaments. It is such measures that helped Sri Lanka Cricket conduct several international and domestic tournaments during the said time without any hindrance.

Following our request, as a mark of professionalism and adherence to official protocols, Mr. Tennakoon conveyed to SLC that he would require prior authorization from higher authorities due to his active duty status. Subsequently, Mr. Tennakoon informed SLC that, as an active police officer, he was not authorized to undertake any special tasks outside his official duties.

Nonetheless, he assured his readiness to provide necessary security assistance as required, considering the national significance of such engagements.

We categorically state that Sri Lanka Cricket has not made any payment, provided any laptop, mobile phone, or other perks to Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon, nor has he been engaged as a consultant or in any other capacity with SLC.

Sri Lanka Cricket strongly condemns the unfounded and misleading statements made by MP Hesha Withanage under the parliamentary privileges and urges responsible conduct when making public statements to avoid causing unnecessary harm to the reputation and integrity of institutions and individuals.