Sampayo further remanded

Image grabbed from video footage of Sampayo speaking to the media on Sunday at Kurunegala

Superintendent of the Negombo Prison Anuruddha Sampayo, who was produced in the Negombo Magistrates’ Court yesterday by the CID, was further remanded till August 18 by Negombo Acting Magistrate K.G. Gunadasa.

Sampayo was arrested on Sunday following his surrender.

Sampayo has been interdicted for various malpractices in the Negombo prison. Earlier this year the CID launched an investigation into various malpractices at the Negombo Prison.

As a part of the investigation in February 2020, the Department of Prisons carried out a raid and found 66 grams of heroin, 11 grams of cannabis, 414 cigarettes, 400 grams of tobacco, eight mobile phones, 17 SIMs, 12 hands-free devices, eight Chargers and two card-readers in the L Ward at the Negombo Prison. They also found a digital scale, used to measure drugs.

On 11 May 2020, Prison officials raided three cells at the Negombo Prison and found a refrigerator and electric fan and a microwave oven. Several drug dealers were kept in those cells.

Investigators found Sampayo, the Head Jailer Sarath Bandara, a First Tier Jailer Sarath Nishantha and a Second Tier Jailer Kalinga Kaluaggala were allegedly involved in these misdeeds and AG’s Department decided that there was sufficient evidence to file charges against them.