Former minister Wimal Weerawansa and an ex- DGM who were arrested by the FCID on charges of misusing 40 state vehicles belonging to the National Engineering Corporation(NEC) and causing Rs. 90 million financial loss to the state during 2011-2014, were ordered to be further remanded till February 20 by Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne today.
The Magistrate also directed the FCID to investigate specifically about the two former Chairmen who served at NEC during the alleged allocation of vehicles was taken place.
Responding over the legality of former Deputy Chairman, Lasantha Alagiyawanna’s involvement in issuing three vehicles, the FCID told court that according to the statements recorded; those vehicles were allocated for the activities under the NEC, therefore no irregularity revealed yet.
Defence Counsel Shavendra Fernando observed that the FCID had deliberately omitted the two former chairmen ( Arshu Marasinghe and other) from the allegation and had not requested the assistance from the Attorney General since the manipulation done by the FCID in this particular inquiry.
The defence had also filed a written bail application on behalf of the second suspect, and the Magistrate fixed next date to consider the requests made on exceptional circumstances.
Other suspect, Samantha Lokuhennadige, was the former Deputy General Manager of the National Engineering Corporation.
The FCID inquired the allegations upon a complaint received by the former Chairman of the NEC and based on the audit report made by the internal inspection of the NEC in 2014.
According to the Prosecution, the first suspect, Werawansa had misused 40 vehicles attached to the National Engineering Corporation (NEC) by using them for his private and political activities in the disguise of using them for the ‘Janasevana’ Housing Construction Project.
The FCID said that the so-called vehicles were taken by the NEC on the leasing basis for their various mechanisms in the Corporation. And the former Minister had both orally and in writing instructed inappropriately certain authorities of the NEC to release vehicles to his cousins, members of the National Freedom Party and some other persons who were not permitted to use such vehicles.
The FCID leveled the allegations against him under section 386 (Criminal Misappropriation) of the Penal Code and section 5(1) of the Public Property Act, where if the misuse is above Rs.25, 000 bail is not applicable unless exceptional circumstances or a High Court Judge.
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