The Kuliyapitiya Magistrate’s Court has sentenced Rantetige Nishshanka Priyadarshana, alias ‘Dubai Sudda’, to five years’ imprisonment, suspended, and imposed a fine of Rs. 100,000 for operating an overseas employment racket in Dubai using tourist visas.
The order was delivered yesterday (13) when the court gave its verdict in a case filed against the accused by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).
The court also ordered him to pay Rs. 700,000 in compensation to the aggrieved complainants and directed that the amount be deposited with the court.
The arrest followed a complaint lodged with the Bureau by a resident of the Giriulla area, who alleged that the accused had taken Rs. 700,000 by promising to secure him employment in Dubai but had failed to provide the promised job.
The accused had returned to Sri Lanka after travelling overseas.
Acting on information that he was staying in the Kaduwela area, investigating officers attempted to arrest him.
He was apprehended when he tried to evade the officers and flee in his private vehicle.
The accused is a member of the Bulathsinhala Pradeshiya Sabha representing the United National Party (UNP). He had allegedly operated the racket using social media.
Similar cases relating to alleged financial fraud involving promises of overseas employment have also been filed against him before the Welisara and Kaduwela courts.
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment has reiterated its warning to the public to remain vigilant against fraudsters who collect money by promising overseas employment through tourist visas.
The Bureau has urged the public to report any such complaints by calling its hotline on 1989 or 011 288 2229.
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A gunman and a motorcycle rider who were allegedly preparing to kill the child of a man who had been shot dead have been arrested by the Police Special Task Force (STF).
Investigations have revealed that the suspects are allegedly the main gunman and a motorcycle rider working for the faction of ‘Palani Canister’, an organised criminal and drug trafficker who is currently overseas.
During the raid, carried out on intelligence received by the STF Intelligence Division, officers recovered a sawed-off shotgun, five 12-bore cartridges, 22 grammes and 340 milligrammes of the drug known as ‘ice’, a mobile phone and a travel bag from the suspects’ possession.
During further questioning, the suspects reportedly stated that members of the ‘Palani Canister’ faction had shot dead a man known as ‘Asela’ in November 2025.
Investigations have revealed that Asela was killed after he refused a request to join the ‘Palani Canister’ gang.
Based on this motive, the gunman and the motorcycle rider had allegedly been recruited to shoot one of Asela’s two children, information that emerged during questioning.
The arrested suspects, both aged 23 and residents of the Kotahena area, along with the items recovered, have been handed over to the Kotahena Police for further investigations.
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Provincial council elections may never be held, political analyst warns
Published
12 minutes ago
on
October 14, 2026
Political analyst and former diplomat Dayan Jayatilleka has warned that further delays in holding provincial council elections could render them irrelevant, raising the risk that the elections may never be held.
He made these remarks during a discussion forum titled ‘Democracy and Sovereignty Under Threat’.
Jayatilleka said the General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) had told his predecessor, Lionel Bopage, that his party did not want provincial councils or the Indo-Lanka Accord.
He also said Bopage had made the statement public on social media.
Jayatilleka warned that the absence of a specific time frame for the parliamentary select committee appointed to make proposals on provincial council elections could result in the elections never being held.
“The people of Sri Lanka have been deprived of their right to elect representatives to provincial councils, which constitute the intermediate tier of government.
Another committee has been appointed to review the entire electoral system. That process, too, could result in people being deprived of their voting rights.
This is a dangerous situation. Political parties that can unite for the sake of the country must come together,” he said.
Meanwhile, lawyer Shirall Lakthilaka also addressed the forum, explaining how the rule of law could be used as a weapon to achieve political objectives.
Although President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had pledged that everyone would be treated equally before the law, Lakthilaka alleged that the rule of law had been politicised.
Quoting the saying, “The silence of good people is more dangerous than the cruelty of bad people”, Lakthilaka also cited a statement attributed to Martin Luther King Jr. in support of his argument.
Note: The claims concerning the JVP’s position on provincial councils and the Indo-Lanka Accord, the potential cancellation of provincial council elections, and the alleged politicisation of the rule of law are attributed statements made by the speakers at the forum.
They have not been independently verified
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Magistrate dissatisfied with investigation into Kapila’s phone
Published
16 minutes ago
on
October 14, 2026
Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasekara told the open court that he was dissatisfied with the investigations conducted into the mobile phone of former SriLankan Airlines executive Kapila Chandrasena, who reportedly died by hanging under suspicious circumstances.
The Magistrate also said he would inform the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the matter.
The Magistrate made these remarks when the complaint relating to the investigation into the death of Kapila Chandrasena, the former Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines, who died under mysterious circumstances, was taken up for hearing.
He also informed the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) that he was dissatisfied with the investigations into the deceased’s mobile phone.
When the complaint relating to the incident was taken up, officers of the Colombo Crimes Division submitted a report outlining the progress of the investigation.
They informed the court that a request had been sent to Apple through the Ministry of Justice to obtain data from the deceased’s mobile phone.
The CCD further informed the court that Apple had stated that the relevant data would be retained for only 90 days. The 90-day period would expire on 29 November, the officers said.
The Magistrate then questioned the police officers, asking whether the data on the mobile phone would be lost after the 90-day period.
In response, the officers said they had made a further request to Apple regarding the matter but had not yet received a response.
The Magistrate then asked: “Why have the Inspector General of Police or the Attorney General not been informed that it has not been possible to obtain valuable data relating to an incident of this nature?”