Man impersonating as President’s private secretary arrested

A person who impersonated as a private secretary to the President and an additional secretary has been arrested by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) last night.

The TID made the arrest after conducting thorough investigation of the suspect’s mobile phone records due to a complaint made by the Secretary to President Austin Fernando to IGP Pujith Jayasundara on March 29.

The suspect has been identified as Hidella Arachchige Don Mahesh Muditha Kumara (39) a resident of Panawala,  Eheliyagoda.

TID investigation officers had recovered three mobile sim cards and photocopies of certificates belonging to several individuals and several other documents.

Police said the suspect had falsely appeared as President’s Private Secretary using the name Wasantha Kumara Ranasinghe as well as an additional secretary.

According to police, the suspect had promised jobs in State institutions including at the Ports Authority, Petroleum Corporation and in overseas jobs in Korea.

He had received Rs.100,000 from one individual and police had revealed information of ten individuals who were caught in the scam. However, police believe that there could be more people in the scam.

To conduct these crimes the suspect had used mobile numbers 0712949237, 0770130933 and 0771030280.

During the interrogation, the investigation officers had revealed that the suspect had made phone calls impersonating as the private secretary, to several State institution heads to carry out his crimes.

Police requested the public to provide information of the suspect via 011-2321839 or fax 011-2384403.

The suspect was to be produced in the Avissawella Magistrate’s Court today.
TID is conducting further investigations. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)