The State Minister of Wildlife Protection – Wimalaweera Dissanayake had allegedly threatened the officials at the Maha Oya Forest Office in Ampara and secured the release of a suspect in their custody.
The suspect reportedly a close aide of the Minister had been arrested by the wildlife officials while felling down four large trees in the Tampitiya proposed reserve using an electric saw, forest officials said.
Forest officials have subsequently lodged a complaint with the Mahaoya Police regarding the incident, while the minister made a counter complain to the Police that he had been threatened by the officials at the Mahaoya Forest Office
The Minister had then complained to the Mahaoya Police that he had been threatened by officials at the Mahaoya Forest Office.
