Nimathi Ranasinghe Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday informed Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that the two persons, who were arrested by the CID over making controversial statements regarding ‘white vans’ during a press conference, have confessed to the CID that they had done so due to a request by former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne.

The CID also informed court that the suspects had also confessed that they had made false statements during the press conference regarding gold and foreign currency of LTTE leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran following a request by Rajitha Senaratne.

The CID said the suspects had said in their statements that they had demanded Rs.3 million to fulfil the deal and it was reduced to Rs. 2 million after the minister agreed to provide them with other perks such as two houses and jobs at the US or UK embassy.

The suspects had also said that they related in the press conference what former Minister Senaratne had written them to reveal and that the facts revealed by them in the press conference was not true.

The suspects had confessed that they had attended the press conference after promised monetary reward by former Minister Rajitha Senaratne.