Bathiudeen’s associates used Sathosa vehicles to travel to East

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Several associates of former minister Rishad Bathiudeen had used Lanka Sathosa vehicles to travel to the East on a number of occasions when he was t Industrial and Commerce Minister, the PCoI probing Easter Sunday attacks was informed yesterday.

A driver attached to Lanka Sathosa, Nimesh Illangasinghe told the PCoI that he had traveled to the Eastern Province with Mohammed Aslam, a Sathosa Engineer and an associate of Bathiudeen on several occasions before the attacks.

“I drove Aslam to several areas in the Eastern Province in January, February and March 2019. He inspected several Sathosa outlets in the east and a number of mosques.”

Illangasinghe said that Aslam was a resident of Dehiwala and he travelled with two individuals who were not attached to Sathosa. The witness added that they had also taken part in mosque events. In one such instance in Medawachchiya, two Arabs had played prominent roles in the event, the witness said.

“We have installed GPS in all Lanka Sathosa vehicles. Sathosa vehicles, PL-2961, PL-2962, PL-2963 and PL-2882 were used by Aslam and his associates to travel to the East.”

Former Chief Engineer – Lanka Sathosa, Kumarawadu Ariyawansha said that on January 30, 2019 former Minister Bathiudeen had advised him to send Aslam to several Sathosa branches, including those in Pottuvil and Mannar.