Fine, prison term for 14 treasure hunters

W. C. B. Fernando Puttalam group corr.

A group of 14 treasure hunters who pleaded guilty before Puttalam District Judge and Magistrate Sesiri Herath were fined Rs. 50,000 each and in addition sentenced to a term of one year’s imprisonment suspended for five years. The implements used in this unlawful act were also confiscated by the Police.

Saliyawewa Police who received information of this treasure hunt in the jungle of Weerapura close to Saliyawewa conveyed the information to Nawagattegama Police in whose area this was taking place.

Acting on this information, Nawagattegama Police rounded up the suspects and arrested all 14 and took into custody a variety of implements used by them which included an electricity generator, a drilling machine, an ascitic acid container and five kgs of explosives.

The suspects are R.M. Harsha Kumara, G.A. Ranjith, H.A. Iresh Udaya Kumara, W.M. Chithralal, R.S. Namal Suresh, L.M. Indrasiri, P.K. Sanjeewa Wijerathne all from Hettipola and J.P.D. Samarasena, R.A.D. Premasiri, I.P.D. Rohan Manjula all from Narammala with W.M.W. Sirisena from Anamaduwa, P. Sarawana Bahwan from Chilaw and K.M. Ranjith Kumara from Wariyapola.