DailyMirror
In connection with incidents during presidential election period
Eight Chief Inspectors were interdicted, and a Senior Superintendent and a Superintendent sent on compulsory leave by Police Chief Mahinda Balasuriya on the orders of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday.
SSP Noel Chandana Kudahetti and SP Jayantha Rohana Jayawardena were attached to the Management and Development Division of the police headquarters.
The Police Chief in his letter to SSP Kudahetti said the reason for sending him on compulsory leave was because he allegedly asked Inspector Gemunu of the Western Province Special Operations Division to search a printing press on January 6 without a search warrant. The printing press is reported to have printed scurrilous posters against the opposition presidential candidate retired General Sarath Fonseka.
SP Jayawardena was being sent on compulsory leave over charges of malpractice during the presidential election.
During the presidential election SP Jayawardena served in the Amapara district and was transferred to Killinochchi. However the transfer was later suspended on the intervention of the Elections Commissioner. In February he was transferred as the Deputy Director of the Katana Police Training School.
The eight Chief Inspectors — H.A.N.W.T. De Silva (Welikada police OIC); O.H.D. Gemunu (OIC Western Province Operations Unit); M.S.K. Wickremenayake (OIC Kurunegala); M.A.M. Lewangama (OIC Jaffna); T. Ludowyke (OIC Chunnakam); D.R.S. Dharmadasa (OIC Nelliadi), H.D.N.S. Jayasekera (OIC Matara) and R.P.K.A.W.K. Ranasinghe (OIC Jaffna) — have been told that they had been interdicted because of allegations of malpractice during the presidential election.
The eight Chief Inspectors were transferred to the Kalutara Police Training School on February 06. Meanwhile police media spokesman Preshantha Jayakody said he had not been officially informed of such action and therefore could not comment.