Money found at President’s House: Police yet to record a statement from Gota despite a court order

It was transpired before Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court that despite a Court order, police have so far failed to record a statement from former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa regarding ongoing investigations into the sum of Rs. 17.8 million recovered by protesters inside the President's House on 9th July.

The Court was informed that IGP's decision to handover the probe to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) from Special Investigation Unit (SIU) had led to delay the ongoing investigations into the incident.

Meanwhile, Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage issued an order directing the IGP to show cause as to why investigations pertaining to the recovery of money inside the President's House were handed over to the CID from SIU.

This information was revealed when a case filed against Convener of Inter-University Students' Federation (IUSF) Wasantha Mudalige, Fr. Jeewantha Peiris and 71 others for forcibly entering the President's House on the 9th of July was taken up for inquiry before Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court. 

Meanwhile, the Magistrate issued an order directing the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crimes to conduct an inquiry into an alleged incident where SIU Director SSP Wickremasinghe had been threatened by Senior DIG Tennakoon.

President's Counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne with Maithri Gunaratne PC appeared for the suspects in the case.(Lakmal Sooriyagoda)