Pilferage of tsunami relief items: manageress in custody

BY CHAMIKARA Weerasinghe

A manageress of tsunami relief in Negombo, attached to the regional Sirisanda branch of the Multiple Service Co-operative Societies was taken into custody by Negombo police on a charge of pilfering tsunami relief items yesterday.

The suspect was arrested while relief items were being unloaded to a three-wheeler from the back door of Sirisanda centre by her supporters at Sirisanda branch and three-wheeler driver, a Mudalali in Pitipana South. Police took them into custody.

Police had taken into custody 200 kilos of rice and 100 kilos of dhal. The suspects, P.B. Nalika Fernando, G. Peter Upali Soyza and A.J. Francus Fonseka will be produced before Courts, police said.

SI J. Karunaratne said investigations had revealed that this racket had been going on for some time. The suspects had sold rice at Rs. 17 per kilo and dhal at Rs. 40 per kilo.

The arrest was made on a tip-off, police said. Negombo police are investigating on the direction of OIC Akalanka Aluthgedara. Crime SI. S. Bandara is assisting.