Who ordered Wellampitiya OIC to release drug suspects: Judge seeks phone record

The Colombo Additional Magistrate this week ordered police to submit a report to court regarding telephone call/s received by the Wellampitiya OIC who has been accused of possessing narcotics

he order was given after counsel for OIC Buwanekasiri Munasinghe informed court that the arrest came soon after the OIC had turned down a request made via a mobile number to release three persons held in custody, for drug offences, at the Wellampitiya Police station.

Counsel Gunaratne Wanninayake told court that a proper investigation of the call/s received from this particular phone number would reveal the true culprits involved in smuggling drugs.

The Colombo Crime Division (CCD) had summoned the Wellampitiya OIC to the CCD on December 31 and placed him under arrest.

Thereafter, a detention order had been issued on his wife Roshini Mallikarachchi and she too had been arrested. Subsequently, (on Jan. 7) Mr Munasinghe and (on Jan. 8) his wife and another person had been produced in court.

Meanwhile, Counsel Wanninayake requested court to allow him to get essential information from OIC Munasinghe, as the Police had not permitted him to speak with his client before the trial.

Court proceedings were suspended for some time to permit counsel to meet his client.

Thereafter, Counsel Wanninayake revealed that OIC Munasinghe had arrested three drug smugglers on December 30, and on the following evening he had received a phone call from a well-known politician’s secretary, asking him to release the arrested drug smugglers. Because the OIC refused, a conspiracy had been hatched against him, he said.

He added that the CCD summons, which they claimed were on the orders of the Inspector General of Police, the

Although the Police Spokesman declared that the analyst’s report concerning this case would be issued within two days, it has not been produced as yet. No field investigations have been conducted to ascertain whether this is heroin. And the suspect’s fingerprints were not found on the heroin parcel sent to the analyst.”

arrest of Mrs Munasinghe and one other person, as well as the Detention Orders, were part of the conspiracy.

“Knowing that refraining from raiding drug dens is the only way to make money in an area like Wellampitiya, there were more than 3,000 cases drug raids conducted on the orders of the OIC, of which 200 were tried in this court,” Counsel said.

Counsel Wanninayake further pointed out that, according to police investigations, his client’s bank accounts had only received his monthly salary for the past five years.

“Although the Police Spokesman declared that the analyst’s report concerning this case would be issued within two days, it has not been produced as yet. No field investigations have been conducted to ascertain whether this is heroin. And the suspect’s fingerprints were not found on the heroin parcel sent to the analyst,” he added.

According to Counsel Wanninayake, OIC Munasinghe’s life would be in danger at Welikada prison, where nearly 300 persons arrested by him for drug related offences are imprisoned.

ASP Nuwan Wedasinghe on behalf of the prosecution told court that he had forwarded all the information through B reports to court, and the parcel allegedly containing heroin had been sent to the Government Analyst.