Suspect posing as Education Minister’s secy arrested

Jayantha de Silva

Kollupitiya Police acting on two complaints took a suspect posing as a Secretary to the Higher Education Minister into custody who allegedly fleeced two persons for Rs 300,000 and Rs 100,000 on the the pretext of obtaining teaching appointments in government schools.

The suspect’s modus operandi was to respond to land sales advertisements in newspapers targeting landlords in remote areas.

His latest victims were a resident of Mannar and a resident of Karai Nagar in the Trincomalee district. Both had earlier placed land sales’ advertisements.

The suspect on the pretext of being a prospective buyer had contacted the sellers and had told them that he was able to find employment as teachers for a fee citing his purported ministerial connections.

The suspect had requested them to come to Colombo and after obtaining the money, had vanished.

Acting on complaints, IP M P D I Kulasekara with PC Dayasiri and SI Asiri Bandara under the direction of CI Mangala Dehideniya posing as land lords had contacted the suspect and arrested him. He was produced before Fort Magistrate Kaniska Wijeratne and remanded until January 31.