The Colombo National Museum was Burgled on the 2012 March 16/17th night.
After that robbery of the Colombo National Museum in 2012 March, the CID wanted a report on the remaining Coin and Currency, Jewellery and Sword collections. When I was asked if I was willing to write a Report on the Coins and Currency Collection, I said I could not refuse as I had already submitted a research proposal in 2006 to do the same, for which I had got no reply. To investigate the Coin and Currency Collection the Museum submitted two names to the minister National Heritage Hon Jagath Balasuriya who cut one of the names and the museum with much reluctance appointed me on 2012 April 25th to write the report. Prof Nimal Silva was appointed for Jewellery, and an officer of archaeology Dept for the Swords.
I studied the collection on 9 days from 2012 April 26th to May 15 in the presence of the representatives of the CID and the Archaeological Department and submitted a report to the director of the Museum on 2012 June 15th. She buried it. They did not even mention this Report in their Annual Performance Report and have not implemented any of the recommendations I made even after 11 years. I should have asked for a nominal payment to ensure that finantial record which would then have needed to be mentioned in Annual Report.
The rarest coin lost was the Ada Kahavanu. I was even told it was not stolen before I was appointed to do the Report. They misidentified it in the Police Report. A Director of Customs told me that he had to request images from the Museum to keep a watch out for them. When I asked to see the images sent an image of the Ada Kahavanu had not been included. Museum had not submited an image of it to Interpol or Customs.
Interestingly about 2-weeks before the roberry I was told that the CCTV had been damaged by increased Lightening strikes after construction of the nearby Nelum Pokuna Auditorium with a roof that had a ring of spikes. This was also confirmed to me by a relative who also lived in a house nearby. I reported this situation to a journalist who visted the Museum. The story was denied by the Museum officer.
In 2012 October I contacted the Secretary to the Ministry National
Heritage and asked if She or the Minister had seen my Report. As it
had not been forwaded to her, she asked me to E-mail her a copy and
said that she will get back to me. I did so on October 4th, but about
one month after that when the Minister came to office, he found to his
surprise a new secretary; the Director under whose watch the Museum
was robbed. When asked how, she replied that she had been appointed by
the President of Sri Lanka.
Soon after the roberry in a Sunday Times article on March 25th
Minister of Cultural Affairs Jagath Balasuriya is quoted as saying
"he strongly believed that persons employed in the Museum had a
hand in the Without the help of the employees this could not have
succeeded,robbery. "
End of Story.
Drug Addict Suspect Lansage Priyantha Mendis alias Kangatta was
arrested by the CID on 2012 October 27th. After 5 years in remand
prison he was given bail and went
missing.
The Story unfolds in the following SundayTimes Reports.