By: Isuru Parakrama
November 02, Colombo (LNW): Ex-State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, recently arrested on allegations of possessing an illegally imported luxury car assembled locally, has been moved to the prison hospital following a court decision.
Ratwatte, apprehended by Mirihana Police on October 31 in Kandy, was initially remanded until November 07 but has now been granted permission to receive medical attention at the prison hospital.
The arrest was tied to the discovery of an unregistered, high-end vehicle at his wife’s residence in Mirihana, Nugegoda.
This three-storey property, owned by Ratwatte’s wife, Shashi Prabha Ratwatte, came under police scrutiny on October 26 following intelligence suggesting the presence of an unregistered luxury car without licence plates.
Police located the car at the residence, prompting further investigation.
Upon questioning, both Ratwatte and his wife informed police that Ratwatte’s mother-in-law occupies the residence and that the vehicle was reportedly brought there three weeks prior by Ratwatte’s private secretary.
Notably, the private secretary was recently found deceased from gunshot wounds in Katugastota, Kandy, adding a layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation.
The case has cast a spotlight on the issue of unregistered vehicles within high-profile circles and raised questions regarding the potential misuse of luxury cars in Sri Lanka.
Ratwatte’s transfer to the prison hospital has led to public speculation that elite personnel accused of crime being arrested and subsequently admitted to prison hospital is an ongoing trend in Sri Lanka, easing reparation regardless of the nature of their alleged crimes.
The investigation continues into both the origins of the car and the suspicious circumstances surrounding the recent death of his private secretary.
