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Boss stole my secrets, alleges Deputy Mayor
The feud between Kotte’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor continues red-hot with the deputy complaining that police are ignoring his request to find out whether his boss allegedly stole secrets from his computer. Deputy Mayor Madura Vithana hit the headlines when a doctored video of him with a nude female was publicly distributed. The Colombo District Court last year issued an interim injunction against Mayor Janaka Ranawaka, restraining him from defaming his deputy.
Now, following Mr Vithana’s complaint to police regarding his computer, the Mayor this week accused his deputy of being a hindrance to needed development in Kotte. Several members of the council have requested me to conduct an inquiry into the alleged obstruction by the Deputy Mayor when it comes to development work in the area, the Mayor said on Thursday.
Meanwhile council member Ranjan Ponnamperuma has lodged a complaint with the Bribery Commission about alleged malpractice at the council. He claimed this week that there was fraud over the construction of a shopping complex that cost some Rs. 2 billion.
Last week, Mr Vithana lodged a complaint with Welikada police stating that there had been a break-in at his office and that his computer, which contained important files, had been removed.
He said he wanted police to investigate whether the data in his computer had been tampered with, but told the Inspector-General of Police and the Colombo Crime Division that the police were not taking action. Welikada police OIC, CI L. Sirimevan said that the complaints concerned internal disputes of the council and police were not making further inquiries into the matter.
Mayor Ranawake said if there was any misappropriation the Deputy Mayor could complain to the council or even the Bribery Commission.
“I was also a Deputy Mayor. During my time I used extend my support to the Mayor, unlike the present Deputy. He wants to be in the limelight and be popular within a short time. We have been in politics for many years. We have done a number of projects,” he said.
Mr Vithana rejected the Mayor’s allegations of blocking development, saying that he was only against certain projects initiated by the Mayor.
The Kotte Municipal Council receives large amount of money from taxes. But there is wastage and unwanted expenditure. The majority of development work done is by the Urban Development and Defence Ministry, he charged. Mr Vithana has in the past lodged a number of complaints to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Mirihana police over alleged assaults by Mayor Ranawake.
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