I neither knew nor planned shooting incident - SAITM CEO

The CEO of SAITM, Dr Sameera Senaratne, today rejected allegations that he had anything to do with planning the shooting incident carried out against him and that he believes certain elements are attempting to discredit or scare him. 

He stated that various rumours and reports are being published in the media regarding the shooting incident carried out against him.

“I don’t know anything about the shooting incident. Neither did I plan anything regarding the shooting,” he told Ada Derana in an exclusives interview. 

Dr Senaratne also said that he does not know the individual who is currently in custody for allegedly carrying out the shooting.

Maintaining that he is completely innocent, Dr Senaratne said that he believes that the police officers investigating the incident will be able to arrest the suspects very soon and that then everyone will find out why the shooting was carried out and by whom. 
   
He clarified that when the suspect who allegedly carried out the shooting was arrested he was also summoned by the police to record a statement but at no point was he placed under arrest.

Dr Senaratne assured that he will provide his complete support for the ongoing investigations because he too wants to find out as to who is responsible. 

The CEO said that he believes that somebody is carrying out an organized attempt to discredit or scare him and that these incidents have also had an adverse effect on SAITM.

Therefore, he said that he requested the Chairman of SAITM Dr Neville Fernando to send him on leave until all these investigations are completed. 

“I decided to temporarily resign from the post of Chief Executive Officer. However, even that was distorted and reported by certain media.”

He stated that certain individuals and organizations are spearing “false rumours” regarding his qualifications. Dr Senaratne said that he obtained his degree in medicine from the Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy in Russia and that he never failed any exams while there.

He stated that his degree is not only accepted by the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) but the entire world and that in addition to his degree in medicine he has three other degrees. 

Dr Senaratne stated that he is prepared to show his educational qualifications to anybody who has any doubts. He stated that allegations made against him that he failed the medical council’s Act 16 exam nine times is also a false accusation.

“I have never sat for the Act 16 exam nine times. I have had no need to sit for the Act 16 exam.”

“But my degree was accepted by the Sri Lanka Medical Council, which has also accepted me as a doctor of medicine,” he added.