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

Published

5 years ago

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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.


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A sustainable, inclusive and globally competitive tourism industry can be built through close partnerships and collaboration – PM

Published

13 mins ago

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2026/05/17

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The 13th Edition of Sancharaka Udawa 2026, Sri Lanka’s foremost Travel & Tourism Fair held under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre – BMICH, Colombo on Friday [15th May].

Organized by the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), the exhibition was held on 15 and 16 th of May.

The exhibition brought together over 250 exhibitors and 300+ stalls with the participation of more than 100 international agents featuring in B2B meetings, panel discussions , and workshops designed to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

This year’s exhibition welcomed foreign hosted buyers for the first time, creating unprecedented opportunities for local stakeholders to connect with international markets.

During the event, the Prime Minister officially opened the Exhibition Sancharaka Udawa 2026 for the public.

Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister stated that the government’s vision is to build a sustainable, inclusive, and environmentally conscious tourism industry, while emphasizing the need for the sector to adapt to environmental, political, economic, and global challenges. The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of positioning Sri Lanka competitively in the global tourism arena and strengthening the country’s international brand as a unique destination.

Highlighting the importance of developing human capital and capacity within the sector, the Prime Minister underscored the role of ongoing education reforms in preparing young people for future opportunities. The Prime Minister stated that reforms in education should enable young people to access multiple pathways and gain exposure to industries such as tourism. In this regard, closer collaboration between the tourism sector and educational institutions was identified as essential.

The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of strengthening domestic tourism and improving the overall tourism experience.

Emphasizing the future development of the sector, the Prime Minister noted that close partnership and collaboration between the government and the private sector are vital to achieving sustainable progress in the tourism industry.

The opening ceremony was attended by Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Ms. Aruni Ranaraja, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Nalin Jayasundera, President, SLAITO,  Buddhika Hewawasam, Chairman, SLTPB/SLTDA and representatives of Diplomatic core, agents and exhibitors.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Prof. Venerable Maha Oya Jinarathana Nayaka Thero conferred the title of Chief Sanghanayaka

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22 mins ago

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2026/05/17

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The official ceremony to present Sannas Patra to Prof. Venerable Maha Oya Jinarathana Nayaka Thero, who was conferred the title of Chief Sanghanayaka of Wellassa, Bintenne and the Eastern Three Provinces, was held on Thursday [14 of May]  at the historic Pothubandhana Rajamaha Viharaya in Bibile, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The ceremony was held under the patronage of the Anunayake of the Malwathu Chapter, Most Venerable Dimbulkumbure Vimaladhamma Nayaka Thero. During the ceremony Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya presented the official Sannas Pathraya conferring the title of Chief Sanghanayaka of Wellassa, Bintenne and the Eastern Three Provinces to Prof. Venerable Maha Oya Jinarathana Nayaka Thero.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister stated that the Nayaka Thero, who entered monastic life in 1982, has rendered exemplary service to Buddhism and society for over four decades, setting a model for the entire community. She noted that the contributions made by the Thero by continuing the Sri Saranankara and Sri Saddhatissa Dhamma Schools, as well as the service carried out as the Chief Prelate of the Deegavapi Pirivena, are highly commendable.

The Prime Minister further stated that the humanitarian assistance extended annually by providing educational equipment to hundreds of children is commendable and strengthens the government’s efforts towards realizing educational policies. The Prime Minister appreciated the efforts of the venerable Nayaka Thero toward the restoration of the historic Deegavapi Maha Seya and the development of other temples.

The Prime Minister also highlighted that initiatives such as the construction of a Bhikkhu ward at the Ampara Hospital demonstrate selfless dedication of the venerable Thero through actions. The Prime Minister further emphasized that religious leaders who work for the spiritual and social upliftment of the people in historically significant regions such as Wellassa and Bintenne are essential to the country, and that the conferring of this title by the Malwathu Chapter is an honour not only to the Thero but also to the people of those regions.

The occasion was graced by the presence of members of the Maha Sangha representing the three Nikayas, and attended by the Minister Samantha Viddyarathna, Deputy Minister R.M. Jayawardena, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, the Governor of Uva Province, government officials, and a large gathering of devotees.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Showers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western and Northern provinces and in Anuradhapura, Galle and Matara districts

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22 hours ago

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2026/05/16

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WEATHER FORECAST FOR 16 MAY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 16 May 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

According to the today’s latest weather analysis, the low-pressure area located northeast of  Sri Lanka, still persists. The Department of Meteorology is continuously monitoring the behavior, development and path of the system.

Due to the influence of the above system, Showers or thundershowers will occur at times and cloudy skies are expected in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western and Northern provinces and in Anuradhapura, Galle and Matara districts. Fairly heavy showers about 75 mm are likely at some places in these areas. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva and Eastern provinces after 1.00 pm.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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