MuthuhettigaMA jumps to Singapore The great Escape

By Kavindya Chris Thomas and Menaka Indrakumar

2014-12-27

Deputy Minister Nishantha Muthuhettigama jumped the country for Singapore yesterday (26) through the VIP terminal of the Bandaranaike International Airport, despite the Baddegama Magistrate's Court having issued a warrant for his arrest.
The warrant was issued following charges of abduction of suspects from police custody.

Speaking at a media briefing, Police Media Spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana said Minister Muthuhettigama had left around 1.30 a.m. on Friday. "A travel prohibition, which prevents a suspect leaving the country, was not issued by the Court with the warrant and that is how he was able to leave the country. If Court made such an order, the Department of Immigration and Emigration would have prevented him of leaving", he said.

However, according to the SSP, Muthuhettigama was not under surveillance despite his previous record of criminal activities.
He further stated any Police officer in that area could have arrested him but unfortunately none were present in the area at the time. When asked about the video that showed several Police officers saluting Muthuhettigama, after a Court order was issued against him, the SSP condemned the actions of the police officers and said it was unethical.

Responding to a question rOn 17 December, an election stage set up for Maithripala Sirisena's in Wanduramba was set on fire allegedly by the supporters of the deputy minister. When the police had arrested Muthuhettigama's supporters in connection with the incident, the UPFA MP had subsequently released the suspects from police custody using force.Meanwhile, the family of Tharindu Lakshitha, who was under suspicion of hiding one million Swiss Francs, has been issued a travel embargo to prevent them from leaving the country.

Tharindu, who is a distant relative of the Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena, had recently received a suitcase of foreign currency from his uncle, and was told to keep it safe for an important purpose. He had then complained to the Police on 19 December and the CID commenced investigations into the matter. SSP Rohana stated that the Police were currently conducting investigations into the matter.

Mutuhettigama’s wife says her husband will be back soon

By Norman Palihawadana-December 26, 2014

Kokila Mutuhettigama, wife of maverick UPFA politician and deputy minister Nishantha Mutuhettigama who left the country for Singapore, while a magisterial warrant was out for his arrest told The Island yesterday that the law enforcement officers should have taken him into custody if he was wanted by court and asked why they didn’t perform their duty.

Baddegama Magistrate Chandima Edirimanne had issued a warrant for his arrest for his failure to appear before court having being charged with forcibly taking away three suspects arrested by Wanduramba police for their alleged involvement on the arson attack on a stage constructed for a political rally of common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena a few days back.

Mrs Muthuhettigama said that her husband had planned to travel overseas long before the warrant was issued on him and she didn’t know where he had travelled to.

But she was certain that her husband would return home in the next few days.