MP Udaya Gammanpila responds to Kiriella's comments on non cooperation of media to bring back 'Makandure Madush'

MP Udaya Gammanpila has drawn parallels to the remarks made by MP Lakshman Kiriella concerning the non cooperation of the media to bring  'Makandure Madush', back to the country to a person who lies about eating Durian fruit.

"Althought the person who eats the durian fruit cannot feel its bad odour the people around them feel otherwise" MP Gammanpila said while referring to the statements made by MP Kiriella who claimed that 'Makandure Madush' could have been brought back to Sri Lanka if the media had not spread the story concerning him.

"KP whom MP Kiriella claimed was brought inside a suitcase into Sri Lanka was not a criminal in Malaysia although he sought refuge in that country after committing crimes in Sri Lanka. Therefore, he could be brought back into the country easily" remarked Mr. Gammanpila adding that the case of 'Makandure Madush' was different since he was a criminal in both countries.

The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya parliamentarian then said that Makandure Madush who is facing charges over the possession and consumption of heroin could face upto 10 years of imprisonment if he was found guilty of drug peddling and then be tried in Sri Lanka following his return.

He also provided two measures the government could take in order to try Madush in Sri Lanka.

The first one, he said, was to transfer the suspect from the Dubai Prison to Sri Lanka, if he was imprisoned in Duabi after being found guilty of the charges levelled against him.

The second alternative is to deport Madush back into Sri Lanka and try him for his crimes committed in the country, MP Gammanpila opined.

"Crimes involving murder and looting were committed by the suspect in Sri Lanka. If the government wants to take legal action against him they should expedite the process of bringing him back into the country. Otherwise, the evidence and the witnesses might cease to exist by the time he returns," Gammanpila emphasised.

He added the measures that would be taken against the suspect depends on the consensus of the Sri Lankan and the UAE governments.