Dayasiri Prepares to sit as Independent MP

Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara yesterday said he will take a decision to act independently in Parliament, if no action is taken against ministers against whom corruption allegations have been leveled.

Safeguarding the persons who have been accused of bribery and corruption was not the intention in the forming of the Yahapalanaya government, he said.

“I hope that the President and the Prime Minister will take measures to take action against ministers against whom allegations of bribery and corruption are being leveled,” Jayasekera said. “If not, I will act as an independent SLFP MP in Parliament since I cannot be a part of a government which protect these persons. But I won’t join the Joint Opposition,” he said.

Minor tremor reported in Galle

A minor tremor measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale was reported yesterday morning in Galle, Geological Survey and Mines Bureau Deputy Director (Geology) Dr. C.H.E.R. Siriwardana told the Daily News yesterday. The tremor was felt by people along the coastal belt around 5.45 a.m. However, no damages to houses or property were reported.

Dr. Siriwardena said the tremor had occurred in the shallow waters of the sea and the exact location was 34 kms South East of Galle.

He said this was a natural tremor adding that no post tremors had been reported as at noon yesterday.

When contacted, Galle Disaster Management Centre OIC Major Eric Zoyza, he said a 5.37 magnitude earthquake reportedly took place in Indonesia yesterday and the subsequent tremor was experienced in the Galle region.

However, he said a detailed report on the tremor would be released to the public following the research now in progress jointly launched by the Disaster Management, GSMB and Meteorological Department.

Priyasath Depp takes oaths as Acting Chief Justice

Supreme Court Judge Priyasath Depp was sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena as Acting Chief Justice yesterday. Secretary to the President P. B. Abeykoon too was present. Picture by President's Media

Ramith’s driving license temporarily suspended

Colombo Additional Magistrate Chandana Kalansooriya yesterday ordered the temporary suspension of cricketer Ramith Rambukwella's driving licence following an accident that took place recently near the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, Colombo 7. 

Rambukwella, set free on Police bail, was charged on five counts by the Cinnamon Gardens Police following the accident that occurred at around 6.30 am on 22 September. 

The Cinnamon Gardens Police filed the case against the suspect in the Traffic Magistrate's Court. The charges filed against the suspect are drunken driving, negligent driving, failure to avoid a possible accident, driving a vehicle registered under someone else's name and driving with a fake number plate. 

Speaking from the dock, the suspect pleaded guilty to the charges of negligent driving and failing to avoid a possible accident but pleaded 'not guilty' to the rest of the charges filed against him. The Cinnamon Gardens Police making submissions to Court stated that it had been proved following a breathalyzer test conducted immediately after the accident that the suspect was under the influence of alcohol. 

Police told Court that the suspect was produced before a JMO for examination of any injuries sustained by him in the accident and the JMO in his report had stated that the suspect exuded the smell of alcohol. The Colombo Additional Magistrate put off the next hearing for 18 October. The suspect's father JO and SLFP Kandy District MP Keheliya Rambukwella was present in Court.

Exhumation of Lasantha’s body

A drone hovering over the area in which the body of slain Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickremetunga is buried, caused Police consternation, this morning.

Given the sensitivity of the case, the media was barred from being present when the body was being exhumed, and reports say Police were disturbed when they spotted the drone over the area.

Police were ill equipped to capture the drone or trace its origin.

On September 8, Mount Lavinia Magistrate Mohamed Saafdeen approved the CID’s request to exhume Lasantha Wickremetunga’s body, after the CID informed court that another postmortem was necessary to aid forensic investigation.

Mahinda nanda released on bail

UPFA parliamentarian Mahindananda Aluthgamage, arrested on charges of misappropriating funds while functioning as the minister of sport, was released on bail this morning. 

He is accused of misappropriating 53 million rupees in 2014, while purchasing sports items, including 14, 000 carrom boards The case will be taken up again on November 4.

Most expensive car imported to SL so far

Recording the most expensive car imported to Sri Lanka, a leading businessman has imported a Rolls Royce super luxury car, worth over Rs. 158 million, customs sources said. 

They said a private company in Sangharaja Mawatha, Colombo had imported the car - Rolls Royce Wraith- and removed it yesterday after paying Rs.

93 million as duty to the Sri Lanka Customs. The 2.4 tonne super luxury car has two-door and is made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars of Goodwood, England.

CV has no right to call for removal of Buddhist Temples

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran has no right to demand the removal of Buddhist temples from the North, State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake said.

He told a media conference that there was no need to remove Buddhist temples because freedom of worship should be preserved in the North just like in other parts of the country.

“There are Buddhist temples, Hindu Kovils, Churches and Mosques in the rest of the country where the people coexist peacefully and the situation should be the same in the North as well," the state minister said.“Anyone could stage protests demanding parts of the country, but no matter what such demands will be of no use."

However, the state minister said some demands made by Mr Wigneswaran could be discussed with a view to arriving at a peaceful solution.

He said he agreed with one of the several demands made by Mr. Wigneswaran. This is about investigating some of the things that happened during the armed conflict.

“Investigations should also be carried out on the alleged sale of video clips on the war to channel-4 by some soldiers, the recent incident where an army officer is alleged to have killed his wife and all the other acts of violence carried out under the guise of war," he said while pointing out that such incidents were an insult to genuine military officers such as Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Wijaya Wimalaratne and Hasalaka Gamini. (Yohan Perera)