Sri Lanka prison chief kept in custody after fraud convict freed
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's prison chief was remanded in custody Tuesday in connection with the illegal release of a convicted financial fraudster under the guise of an amnesty for minor offenders.
Commissioner-General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya was arrested late Monday by the Criminal Investigations Department, over the release of fraud convict Athula Thilakaratne.
The government suspended Upuldeniya following reports the convict's name was smuggled into a list of nearly 400 minor offenders who were granted a presidential amnesty last month.
Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Rathnayake ordered Upuldeniya be held in custody until Wednesday, pending a criminal investigation.
'It was decided to suspend the Commissioner-General until the investigations are concluded,' the Justice Ministry said in a statement.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's office ordered the police investigation last week after the release of Thilakaratne.
He was serving a six-month sentence over a financial scam and is also facing 30 other fraud cases.
Police have launched a manhunt for Thilakaratne, who went missing after his unlawful release from prison was reported in the local media.
A presidential amnesty was granted to 388 inmates last month to mark Vesak, the most important Buddhist festival on the island.
Thilakaratne 'was not among those approved by the president to receive a pardon', Dissanayake's office said.
The president told a public rally last week that corruption was rife in prisons and called for a major clean-up.
He also warned officials to improve or face the sack.
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The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Sri Lanka prison chief kept in custody after fraud convict freed
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's prison chief was remanded in custody Tuesday (June 10) in connection with the illegal release of a convicted financial fraudster under the guise of an amnesty for minor offenders. Commissioner-General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya (pic) was arrested late Monday by the Criminal Investigations Department, over the release of fraud convict Athula Thilakaratne. The government suspended Upuldeniya following reports the convict's name was smuggled into a list of nearly 400 minor offenders who were granted a presidential amnesty last month. Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Rathnayake ordered Upuldeniya be held in custody until Wednesday, pending a criminal investigation. "It was decided to suspend the Commissioner-General until the investigations are concluded," the Justice Ministry said in a statement. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's office ordered the police investigation last week after the release of Thilakaratne. He was serving a six-month sentence over a financial scam and is also facing 30 other fraud cases. Police have launched a manhunt for Thilakaratne, who went missing after his unlawful release from prison was reported in the local media. A presidential amnesty was granted to 388 inmates last month to mark Vesak, the most important Buddhist festival on the island. Thilakaratne "was not among those approved by the president to receive a pardon", Dissanayake's office said. The president told a public rally last week that corruption was rife in prisons and called for a major clean-up. He also warned officials to improve or face the sack. - AFP
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Sri Lanka prison chief kept in custody after fraud convict freed
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's prison chief was remanded in custody Tuesday in connection with the illegal release of a convicted financial fraudster under the guise of an amnesty for minor offenders. Commissioner-General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya was arrested late Monday by the Criminal Investigations Department, over the release of fraud convict Athula Thilakaratne. The government suspended Upuldeniya following reports the convict's name was smuggled into a list of nearly 400 minor offenders who were granted a presidential amnesty last month. Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Rathnayake ordered Upuldeniya be held in custody until Wednesday, pending a criminal investigation. 'It was decided to suspend the Commissioner-General until the investigations are concluded,' the Justice Ministry said in a statement. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's office ordered the police investigation last week after the release of Thilakaratne. He was serving a six-month sentence over a financial scam and is also facing 30 other fraud cases. Police have launched a manhunt for Thilakaratne, who went missing after his unlawful release from prison was reported in the local media. A presidential amnesty was granted to 388 inmates last month to mark Vesak, the most important Buddhist festival on the island. Thilakaratne 'was not among those approved by the president to receive a pardon', Dissanayake's office said. The president told a public rally last week that corruption was rife in prisons and called for a major clean-up. He also warned officials to improve or face the sack.
The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
Thailand, Cambodia agree to de-escalate border standoff
A Cambodian soldier (R) stands guard as Buddhist monks and visitors walk around the disputed ancient Khmer temple Prasat Ta Muen Thom, or Prasat Ta Moan Thom in Khmer, on the Cambodian-Thai border in Oddar Meanchey province on March 26, 2025. - AFP BANGKOK: The governments of Thailand and Cambodia agreed to de-escalate a border standoff by adjusting military forces in the conflict zone, following a skirmish in late May. The decision was announced by Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in a post on X late Sunday (June 8). The two nations will engage through the Joint Border Mechanism, with a meeting scheduled for June 14 in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh. They also plan to hold multi-level discussions aimed at restoring normalcy in bilateral relations as soon as possible, Paetongtarn said. The latest move to calm tensions follows an order on Saturday from Thai Army Chief Pana Claewplodtook granting authority to the Burapha and Suranaree task forces to decide on the closure or opening of the Thailand-Cambodia border checkpoints under any circumstances. In response to the directive, most border checkpoints in eastern and northeastern provinces shortened their operating hours to as little as three hours a day. Some crossings have restricted access entirely, banning tourists, gamblers and vehicles from passing through. Tensions between the two South-East Asian nations heightened following an exchange of gunfire between troops on May 28 in the disputed Chong Bok border area, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Cambodia has agreed to pull its troops back to their original positions away from the skirmish site, and backfill a trench that had been dug there, restoring the area to its original natural state, as proposed by the Thai side, Royal Thai Army spokesperson Winthai Suvaree said. - Bloomberg
