Two WPC ministers face arrest next week

The Attorney General has issued a directive ordering the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest two Western Provincial Council Ministers next week and produce them in court, a top CID officer said on Friday.

Director CID SSP M.G.W.M. Mutubanda said the CID would be carrying out the order next week to arrest Ministers Hector Bethmage and A.D. Gamini Thilakasiri for smuggling out of the country an accused in an attempted murder case now pending in the Avissawella High Court.

The directive was issued by Deputy Solicitor General Vijith Malalgoda on behalf of the AG on March 26. On January 13 last year an SLFP disciplinary committee chaired by Minister John Seneviratne also found the two Ministers guilty of the charges.

Since the acts committed by the two were so serious the committee had recommended that Mr. Bethmage be stripped of his portfolio and be suspended from the party for three months and in the case of Mr. Thilakasiri, he be suspended from the party for six months.

The disciplinary committee, which found Mr. Bethmage and Mr. Thilakasiri guilty comprised John Seneviratne, Prof. Vishwa Warnapala, Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, Prof. A.V. Suraweera, Dr Jagath Balasuriya, W. Karunajeewa, Saliya Mathew, Jerry Jayawardena, Champani Padamasekera and late Anil Obeysekere.