The sergeant who fled with the key to the cash safe while the accountant was checking the accounts has been suspended from work.

Police Headquarters has taken steps to suspend a police sergeant who fled with the key to the money safe while a group of officers, including an accountant, were on duty to inspect the money and related books of the Welikada Police, which belongs to the Nugegoda Police Division. The sergeant who has been suspended from duty was working in the administration division of the Welikada Police.

This inspection was organized on the orders of Senior Superintendent of Police Mangala Dehideniya, who is in charge of the Nugegoda Division. Accordingly, the relevant accountant and office staff arrived at the Welikada Police Station on the 3rd to conduct the inspection. It is stated that the sergeant, having known in advance that the inspection was taking place, left the police station with the key to the safe without any prior notice or permission.

However, the relevant sergeant returned to the police station the day after this incident. Further investigations carried out there revealed that an amount of Rs. 161,245, which should have been kept securely in the safe, was not there but was hidden in a cupboard in another room.

This disciplinary action has been taken on the grounds of not depositing government money in the designated safe without proper authorization and keeping it in another location, and for leaving the police station without informing or obtaining permission while an investigation was ongoing. Accordingly, Assistant Superintendent of Police (03) B.L.A. Prasanna has issued the order to suspend the relevant sergeant from duty.