Story that Duminda Silva is trying to escape from jail!
Today's Dinamina newspaper has reported that former parliamentarian Duminda Silva who currently is serving a jail sentence in Welikada Prisons having been convicted of a case of homicide and is now preparing to escape from jail together with 5 others convicts and that courts have issued instructions to Welikada Prisons to make an investigation in this respect and
forward a report to courts.
Subsequent to a few hours the news item appeared, the Hiru Media Network belonging to Duminda Silva's family made a clarification saying that this news was false. According to the news report concerned, with reference to clause 124 of Criminal Code No. 15, 1975 Police Inspector Mr. M.A.S. Ranjith of the CID has reported to courts that Anura Thushara de Mel, Sirinayaka Pathiranalage Chaminda Ravi Jayanath, C.M. Priyantha Janaka Bandara and Arumadura Lorenz Remelo Duminda Silva who have been sentenced to death are making plans to escape jail after which Colombo Chief Magistrate Mr. Lal Ranasingha Bandara has instructed police to obtain a statement from the Chief Jailor in charge of the Prison Authority and cell where convicts are in custody at Welikada Prison. Also to check matters such as security methodology adopted to provide safety to the prisoners, security measures taken when providing an opportunity for relatives and others to confront the prisoners on behalf of the security of the prisoners and whether information has been received by Prison Intelligence Unit that these prisoners are attempting to make a getaway.
Whatever it is, Hiru Channel of the Silva family which says that Duminda Silva's father who refers to this news item states that this bogus news is being woven by a newspaper belonging to the UNP and that this false news is being spread around from last November itself and the Dinamina newspaper too has has started to sing mud by basing it on that. In any case, there is no explanation to the effect that anything of that nature had taken place in courts yesterday. Explaining further, Duminda Silva's father had said that this is not the first instance where Duminda Silva was thrown mud at and that all information such as the latter is to be taken to Singapore and that birthday parties are held at the prison are false. He says that a fruitless attempt is being launched by media displays with conspiracy in mind and are trying unsuccessfully to put Duminda Silva into inconvenience with the motive of distorting the minds of the public, within the Prisons and officers of the Judiciary. He has also added,
"2 of those among the 5 who are supposed to escape from jail with him are in Welikada Prison and the other 3 are stationed at Kandy Prisons. So how can groups who are at three different places make a getaway together? We didn't speak out when mud propaganda was circulating like this not because we didn't have answers for those ... but because of the faith and the respect we have for the judiciary".