Prisons Commissioner Gamini B Dissanayake, who issued a statement defending the release of fraudster W.H. Athula Tillekeratne from the Anuradhapura prison on Vesak Poya day immediately after SJB MP Ajith P. Perera accused President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of abusing presidential pardon, has resigned from the post.
Prisons Commissioner Jagath Weerasinghe has been appointed the new Media Spokesperson of the Department.
Ongoing investigations have revealed that in addition to Tillekaratne, an unspecified number of prisoners have been released over the years.
Meanwhile, the controversy over Tillekeratne’s case has taken a new turn with PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila and SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekera declaring that Prisons Commissioner Thushara Upuldeniya shouldn’t have been arrested and remanded till June 25 pending investigations. Both have declared at press briefings held on Wednesday that Upuldeniya had done no wrong.
The abuse of presidential pardon was first disclosed by SJBer Ajith P. Perera.