Ex-Negombo Prison Chief Anurudhdha Sampayo remanded to Tuesday

Anurudhdha Sampayo was arrested on Sunday 11 days after the Negombo Magistrate's Court issued a warrant for his arrest.

On the 22nd of July, the Negombo Magistrate ordered the immediate arrest of the 04 suspects namely, Ex-Negombo Prison Superintendent Anuradha Sampayo, Chief Jailor Sarath Bandara, Acting Jailor Nishantha Senaratne and Second-tier Jailor Kalinga Kaluaggala.

The Police Spokesperson on Monday (03) said these prison officers are charged with illegally providing facilities to the cells of individuals arrested and detained for drug trafficking and related offenses.

Further, they are charged with forging documents for the facilities provided to the cells of the inmates in question.

In addition, the suspects are charged with including inaccurate numbers in their accounts as well as aiding & abetting and conspiracy to commit the said offenses.

Attorney-at-Law Kelum Kumarasinghe appearing for Anurudhdha Sampayo, when the suspect was produced in court, said the Attorney General's Department making an appearance in court especially for this case on a government holiday, is because of the influence of the Attorney General.

He claimed the Attorney General's Department is engaged in a media show and had resorted to actions that were never done before in the history of the Attorney General's Department.

The Attorney-at-Law said Anurudhdha Sampayo was not arrested, but he in fact surrendered to police adding the surrender was the result of an influence exerted on his client from top positions not to cause any inconvenience to the government.

Dismissing these claims, Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris appearing for the Attorney General said according to records in his possession, Anurudhdha Sampayo was arrested by a group led by the Negombo Police HQI.

He even questioned, " why would the Negombo Police travel 72 km to Kurunegala which alone has 11 police stations,? ".

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris further pointed out, never before had a person against whom a warrant was issued had made a statement to the media while inside a police jeep with the Police Inspector at the door.

When Sampayo was arrested in Kurunegala he made a statement at that moment claiming he was being framed.

The Deputy Solicitor General also raised concerns with the restriction imposed on the media, when the matter was called up today adding journalists who are usually permitted to remain close to the court, were inconvenienced when they were placed at a location which posed a risk to them.

The Acting Magistrate's attention was also drawn towards the fact Anurudhdha Sampayo was not wearing a face-mask inside the court at a time when the Quarantine Regulations are in force.

Defense Counsel requested the court to direct Anurudhdha Sampayo to any prison other than the Negombo Prison, however, the Acting Magistrate ruled the decision on the matter should be made by the Commissioner-General of Prisons.

Ex-Superintendent of the Negombo Prison Aurudhdha Sampayo was arrested following a joint operation carried out by detectives of the CID and Intelligence services, Sri Lanka Police said on Monday (03).