TWO REMANDED OVER ‘WHITE VAN’ REMARKS

Two individuals who were arrested on the charge of making controversial statements on a ‘white van’ incident during a media briefing conducted by former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne were ordered to be remanded till December 27 by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

When the case was taken up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayarathna, CID Director and SSP W.thilakaratne informed that the suspects participated in a press conference with the former minister to reveal details of an alleged ‘white van’ abduction and transportation of 7,000 tons of gold.

He said the CID arrested the suspects identified as Sarath Kumara and Sanjeewa Madanayake and that the CID was currently probing the matter.

He told the magistrate that during investigations, it was revealed that former Minister Senaratne had given Rs.2 million to both suspects to participate in the conference and make such statements.the CID stated that both suspects had been arrested at a restaurant in Mahara, Kadawatha and grilled for 72 hours.

“Both suspects were arrested in keeping with Section 6(1) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). However, investigations are ongoing according to the Penal Code. During the press briefing, one suspect mentioned that he was a member of the ‘white van drivers group’ while the other said people were abducted in ‘white vans,’ killed and dumped as prey for crocodiles,” he said.