Colombo: A Sri Lankan soldier carried a pistol to a function attended by President Maithripala Sirisena, prompting police to arrest the Army Corporal and launch a probe into the worst presidential security breach in 16 years.
"It was reported that on April 25 an Army Corporal who was carrying a fire arm had breached the security arrangements at an event attended by the President," said Ruwan Gunasekera, police spokesman and Assistant Superintendent today.
"The CID started an investigation and a Corporal named Senaka Kumara has been arrested by the CID on May 2. He has now been remanded until May 12," Gunasekera said.
The Corporal with his pistol was spotted near to Sirisena at Angunakolapelessa in the deep southern district of Hambantota.
Sirisena was addressing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) district organisation which was attended by parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, the elder son of the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Namal to whom the Corporal from the Army's crack commando unit had been attached to had said that the arrested Corporal was only carrying a bottle of water.
This was the worst security breach involving a president since the then President Chandrika Kumaratunga was seriously injured in a suicide bomb attack blamed on the LTTE in December 1999.
The Rajapaksa government ruled since 2005 and is credited with ending the LTTE separatist war. Rajapaksa effort to win an unprecedented third term ended in a disaster with Sirisena toppling him with support from joint opposition, ending a ten-year rule on January 9.
