Rs. 50,000/- to 100,000/- charged from prisoners for facilities at Negombo Prison

The other three suspects are Negombo Chief Jailor Sarath Bandara, Acting Jailor Nishantha Senaratne, and Second-tier Jailor Kalinga Kaluaggala.

The suspects are charged with illegally providing facilities to the cells of individuals arrested and detained for drug trafficking and related offenses.

Application for bail filed on behalf of the suspects was rejected and the Chief Magistrate said, based on the presentation made by the prosecution, if bail was granted to an individual such as the Ex-Superintendent, he could use his connections with powerful individuals and exert undue influence on the prosecution's witnesses.

The Acting Inspector General of Police was ordered by the Chief Magistrate to immediately conduct an investigation as to why the warrants issued by the court for the arrest of the 04 suspects were not enforced and to produce a report to the court on the investigations.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris appearing for the Attorney General said he was instructed to name Anurudhdha Sampayo as a suspect arrested with regard to the investigations taking place on drug trafficking within the Negombo Prison and to take necessary legal action.

The Deputy Solicitor General went on to note an investigation was launched on the assets and property of the suspects under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the Bribery Act.

Although the notes of the Kurunegala Police HQI claim Anuruddha Sampayo was arrested by the Kurunegala HQI 12 days after the warrants were issued, the Deputy Solicitor General said the witness statements from 08 people including the suspects own brothers makes it clear, the suspect was not arrested but the arrest was merely the result of a deal reached between the two parties.

Investigations have already revealed when Anuruddha Sampayo was serving at the Negombo Prison he had obtained large sums of money from a selected group of prisoners in order to provide the facilities required by them, said the Deputy Solicitor General.

He said a sum of Rs. 25,000/- was charged from an inmate to be placed in a cell with normal facilities and a sum between Rs. 50,000/- to Rs. 100,000/- was charged from prisoners for a cell will all facilities.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris said this was revealed in the statements provided by one of the prisoners who obtained such services.