By Norman Palihawadana Courtesy The Island

September 16, 2018, 11:47 pm

Police protection would be provided to Namal Kumara of Dushana Virodi Balakaya, who has alleged a plot to kill President Maithripala Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, a senior police officer told The Island.

Kumara told media last week that DIG in charge of the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) Nalaka de Silva had been plotting to assassinate Sirisena and Rajapaksa with the help of notorious drug kingpin, Makandure Madush. De Silva is said to have cultivated Madush when the drug dealer was in the custody of the TID sometime ago. Kumara played an audio recording of his alleged conversations with de Silva, claiming that the latter who had supported Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, was worried that Sirisena and Rajapaksa would join forces.

The officer said: “Kumara gave a statement to the CID, on Friday. We have given it to experts to examine, but from the investigations we carried out, we are 100% sure that the voice is indeed that of DIG Silva.”

He added that an investigation was being carried out to determine whether the educational certificates furnished by Silva were authentic.

“Silva will be questioned today or tomorrow. We have to first do a thorough background check before questioning him. We are also investigating the alleged connections some senior policemen have with Madush,” he said.

IGP Pujith Jayasundara said that an impartial and transparent investigation into the matter would be carried out. Those in charge of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s security are to request the Ministry of Defence to provide him with additional security, The Island learns.