Police will seek direction from the Attorney General’s Department on how to proceed regarding the arrests of the Avant-Garde Maritime case suspects currently absconding, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said.
At present, three of the suspects wanted in connection to the case, including Chairman of Avant-Garde Maritime Services, retired Major Nissanka Senadhipathi have fled the country.
“The investigations are continuing and the Police will seek direction from the AG on how to proceed with regard to the suspects who are now overseas and evading arrest,” Gunasekara said.
However, despite being on the run, Senadhipathi has been providing interviews to local media. Commenting on this, SP Gunasekara said the Police would bring this to the attention of the courts when Senadhipathi is arrested and brought before courts. “We will vehemently oppose bail being granted to him and inform court of his behaviour,” he said.
The CID has since arrested four suspects, namely, Former Chairman of Rakna Lanka, Victor Samaraweera, Major General (Rtd) Karunaratne Banda Adhikari Egodawela, Major General (Rtd) Palitha Piyasiri Fernando and the current Secretary to the National Police Commission (NPC) Saman Dissanayake.
According to the CID Senadhipathi and another suspect, retired Commodore Vishvajith Nandana Diyabalanage had travelled to Singapore just days prior to Attorney General Dappula De Livera ordering the CID to arrest eight individuals implicated in the high profile money laundering and illegal weapons smuggling investigation. Former Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Damayanthi Jayaratne who is among the suspects the CID was ordered to arrest fled to New Zealand in 2015.
Earlier this month Coordinating Officer to the AG, State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said the Attorney General would make a decision on how to proceed adding that no decisions had been made yet about how the suspects could be repatriated to face charges.