The Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage on Friday (July 29) ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to conduct an investigation into the delay by the police in handing over to the court the large sum of money found inside the President’s House earlier this month.

More than Rs. 17.8 million in cash was recovered from the presidential residence on the 9th of July after anti-government protesters stormed the compounds during mass demonstrations. It was later handed over to the custody of the police.

The magistrate also called for a report on the investigation into the matter.

Further, he directed the IGP to appoint the Director of the Special Investigations Unit at the Police Headquarters to lead the probe and to provide him with necessary assistance.

The magistrate stressed that there is reasonable suspicions about the Fort OIC delaying the handing over of the money to the court for three weeks.

As per the court orders issued on Thursday, the money was presented to the court via the Assistant Superintendent of Police in charge of the Colombo Central Crimes Investigation Division.

However, the magistrate pointed out that he is unaware of any reasonable reason as to why the money, originally handed over to the Fort Police, was submitted to the court through a special unit of Slave Island Police.