Colombo Additional Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake this morning further remanded till May 22 Inspector of Police Neomal Rangajeewa and Prisons Commissioner Emil Lamahewa who were arrested for involvement in the Welikada Prison riots in 2012.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) arrested IP Neomal Rangajeewa of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) on March 28, while Lamahewa who is Prisons Commissioner (Rehabilitation), on March 29.

Attorneys appearing for Rangajeewa accuse the court of making the arrest based on evidence provided by inmates connected to the drug trade, while attorneys appearing for Lamahewa claim the jailor who testified against their client has a personal dispute their client.

In November 2012, twenty-seven inmates were killed and more than 20 others injured in a shootout that occurred between prisoners and guards after the prisoners overthrew the guards in objection to an unannounced search by the Special Task Force.