Minister Sarath Amunugama provides a statement to the CID

COLOMBO (News1st) - Minister of Science, Technology, and Research (Dr.) Sarath Amunugama provided a statement to the Criminal Investigations Department Unit attached to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry investigating SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering, and Mihin Lanka Private Limited. Speaking to reporters afterward, the Minister said he provided a statement on the incident where a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore was diverted back in 2014. He said he was questioned about this matter as he was aboard the flight from Singapore to Colombo and added the final decision on these matters will be taken by the Commission. Earlier, it was revealed before the Presidential Commission that Former SriLankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe had a flight on route from Kuala Lumpur to Colombo diverted to Singapore in order to pick up a ‘government delegation,’ severely inconveniencing more than 120 passengers and causing an unknown amount in losses. Moreover, a subsequent check of the plane’s passenger manifest revealed that the only government minister on board had been Dr Sarath Amunugama. The other persons who were picked up from Singapore by the diverted flight were the SriLankan Airlines chairman and his wife.