Ex-Mayor Arrested Over Illegal Jeep Import

COLOMBO(News 1st); Two individuals, including former Wattegama Mayor Ravindra Bandara, have been arrested for the illegal import and fraudulent registration of two jeeps.

The arrests follow an extensive investigation by the Central Crimes Investigation Division based on a received tip-off.

According to police, the suspects had altered records at the Department of Motor Traffic to register the vehicles, allegedly with assistance from a department employee.

Ravindra Bandara, who served as the Mayor of Wattegama and was elected in the 2018 local government elections under the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), is one of the arrested suspects.

The second suspect is Lakshitha Manoj Weerabahu, reportedly a close associate of former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte.

The two jeeps have been handed over to Manikhinna Police for further investigation.