Connect with us

News

Ex-SSP Kurunegala recalls how he was mocked by Bathiudeen when Dr. Shafi was granted bail

Published

5 years ago

on

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen had called him on the day Dr. Segu Shihabdeen Mohamed Shafi, accused of steralising women without their consent, was granted bail, and spoke mockingly, former Kurunegala SSP Mahinda Dissanayake, on Saturday morning, told the PCoI investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.

Dissanayake said there were subtle interferences throughout the investigation into allegations against Dr. Shafi.

Earlier, DIG Kithsiri Jayalath, who was previously in charge of the Kurunegala District, told the PCoI that the arrest of Dr. Shafi, had led to his transfer. DIG Jayalath said Dr. Shafi was a friend of the then Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. Jayalath said that according to intelligence reports, Shafi had received money from the Thawheed Jamaath movement.

SSP Dissanayake, who served under Jayalath, was summoned before the PCoI.

Ravishani Peiris, the counsel for Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, questioned the witness on the Shafi investigation.

Peiris: “When did you first hear about Shafi?”

SSP Dissanayake: “After the Easter Sunday attacks.”

Peiris: “What did you hear about him?”

SSP Dissanayake: “There was unrest following, Easter Sunday attacks in Kurunegala too. It was at this time that we received information about Shafi, who was attached to Kurunegala Hospital. Shafi also had a private medical centre near the hospital. During his statement to the Police, Shafi said that Muslims abroad send large sums to this centre.”

SSP Dissanayake added that Shafi told him not to ask further questions on the fund transfers. The Police were unable to identify those who had sent funds and for what purpose.

He said: “I informed the Court about this on 22 May 2019 through a B report. We found that there were significant transactions in Shafi’s accounts but not how he received these funds. At this point, we received information that Shafi had been conducting non-consensual sterilisations of Sinhalese women. We were told that mishaps take place during his surgeries and that he had tried to give a baby born to one mother to another woman. Shafi had done about 8,000 cesarean deliveries by then.”

The witness said that Shafi had been arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA.) Policemen also seized a number of court materials from Shafi as well, he said. Among the items seized was the DVR in which CCTV footage of Shafi’s private clinic was stored, the SSP said.

SSP Dissanayake: “A day after we took Shafi in, CID and TID officers came and took the suspect into their custody. However, I later learned that the above mentioned DVR had been returned to Shafi outside of the proper procedure and that a lot of CCTV footage had been deleted.”

The SSP added that DIG Kithsiri Jayalath and he had been transferred to Puttalam and Kantale respectively following the commencement of the Shafi investigation. Soon after the release of Shaffi on bail, former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen had called him, SSP Dissanayake said.

SSP Dissanayake : “Bathiudeen asked me “Mr. Dissanayake, do you feel good now?” I have not revealed this to anyone before.

A Commissioner: “Did you think this was a threat?”

SSP Dissanayake: “There was no reason for him to call me.”

A journalist working with BBC Sinhala Shirley Upul Kumara too testified at the PCoI. He was questioned on an interview he had done with former President Maithripala Sirisena and allegations made by Sirisena that the video that BBC published had been heavily edited and his answerss distorted.

The Attorney General’s Department representative leading evidence asked Kumara if the video was edited.

Kumara: “Yes. We did the interview outdoors and sometimes the wind would ruffle his hair. We removed those parts. We also removed repetitions. But we never distorted his answers.”

AG representative: “Did President Sirisena or his office request the BBC to remove the video.

Kumara: “I asked our HQ before coming here. No such request had been made. The interview was done in a cordial manner. At the end we even took a selfie and Sirisena put his hand around my shoulder.”

Earlier Sirisena said that there were constant arguments between him and Kumara during the interview.


Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Heat Index at Caution Level in  the  Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota and Monaragala districts during the day time

Published

2 hours ago

on

2026/05/5

By

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 04 May 2026, valid for 05 May 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on the human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in  the  Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota and Monaragala districts during the day time.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.


Effect of the heat index on the human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

7 hours ago

on

2026/05/4

By

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

Continue Reading

News

Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

7 hours ago

on

2026/05/4

By

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

Continue Reading

Trending