Lohan admitted to NH due to sudden illness – Prisons Spokesman

By Norman Palihawadane

Former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, who was receiving treatment in the Prison, had been transferred to the National Hospital (NH), Colombo, the Prisons Department said yesterday. Prisons Commissioner and Spokesman Gamini B. Dissanayake said that Ratwatte had been transferred to the NH due to a sudden illness on Saturday night (02).

Ratwatte, who was arrested and remanded on charges of using a vehicle illegally assembled here, was admitted to the Prison Hospital on Saturday under the permission granted by the Nugegoda Acting Magistrate.

Ratwatte was arrested by the Mirihana Police, in Katugastota, Kandy, on 31 Oct., following the detection of an unregistered car at his wife’s house at Mirihana, Nugegoda, on 26 Oct.

Ratwatte and his wife told the police that his mother-in-law was living in the house where the vehicle was found. They claimed that the car had been brought there three weeks before by Ratwatte’s private secretary, who recently committed suicide in Katugastota, Kandy.

Meanwhile, Police took into custody a lay custodian of Gaalthenna Devalaya of Kandy, Gamini Ananda, popularly known as ‘Gaalthenne Kapuwa, in connection with an unlicensed SUV found at Digana. That vehicle is also alleged to have been used by Ratwatte.

Police said that the Kapuwa’s son had claimed that the SUV belonged to Ratwatte and it had been brought and left within the Devalaya premises by Ratwatte’s private secretary.

Police investigators have revealed that the Kapuwa had a private car yard with a collection of 17 vehicles, of which some are believed to be unregistered. Produced before Teldeniya Acting Magistrate, Swarna Karalliyadda, the Kapuwas and remanded until 11 Nov.