Lahiru Weerasekara and five others surrendered in court

 

By Shehan Chamika Silva

 

IUSF convener, Lahiru Weerasekara, Thanne Gnanananda thera and four others who were earlier received arrest warrants for not appearing court properly over the case filed against them on charges of staging a protest in front of University Grant Commission damaging its building in 2015, were today released on bail after surrendering in court.

 

They were released on cash bail of Rs. 2500 each and Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara recalled the issued warrants.

 

The protest was held on October 6, 2015 causing a Rs. 284,000 worth damage for UGC property.

 

Other suspects were Amila Sandaruwan, Rangana Samaratunga, Athma Priyadarashana and Dinesh Maduranga.

 

The magistrate strictly warned the suspects to adhere the court of law and failure to do so in future would last annulling their bail conditions.

 

Suspects had surrendered today before court through their counsel Manju Sri Chandrasena.

 

The inquiry was put off for August 25.

Trial fixed on five cases filed against Former president's sec. Offc.

 

By Shehan Chamika Silva

 

Colombo Additional Magistrate Aruni Attigalle today fixed the trial on five non-assets declaration cases filed against Major Neville Wanniarachchi, a former security officer of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa by the Bribery Commission.

 

On an earlier occasion, the Defence had submitted a preliminary objection over the allegation subsequently; the prosecution also filed counter objections to it. 

 

Delivering court's decision on the preliminary objection, Magistrate fixed the cases for trial on August 2.

 

Wanniarachchi was accused of not declaring his assets and liabilities from 2010 to 2014 while he was a major in the army.

 

The Bribery Commission had charged him with five cases over committing an offence fell under the Non -assets declaration Act for not revealing his assets declaration in five consecutive years.

Gnanasara complains over death threats

By Shehan Chamik Silva

 

The Organised Crimes Division today informed Colombo Chief Magistrate that a broad investigation has been initiated over a complaint received from Bodu Bala Sena regarding death threats received to Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera.

 

Chief Executive officer of BBS, Dilantha Kumara Vithanage had lodge a complaint with the prosecution over the alleged unknown death threats received to thera and subsequently OCD initiated the investigation.

 

Filing a facts report before Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara, the prosecution sought few appropriate court orders to conduct the investigation broadly.

Shashi Weerawansa's Passport or NICs not gone missing: CMC

By Shehan Chamika Silva 

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara confirmed that the case productions (passport and National identity cards), relating to the inquiry conducted against Sashi Weerawansa over allegedly obtaining a forged passport submitting fraudulent details, had not gone missing but were in the possession of Court Production Officer.

Reprimanding the CID, Chief Magistrate explained that the CID officer had recklessly requested court productions of case from the Chief Registrar but at the time the case productions were with the case production officer of Chief Magistrate’s Court Complex.

The Magistrate ascertained that due to the irresponsibility and not following procedural aspects properly before complaining such allegation the CID officer had defamed the court staff setting false news to the Media.

The Chief Magistrate further observed that disclosure of such false information in open court could lead general public to lose the faith on independence of the judiciary. 

Meanwhile, the Trial of the two cases initiated yesterday before the Chief Magistrate following seventh witness of the case, Department of Registration of Persons, Assistant Commissioner Indika Kumara Herath delivered evidence before Chief Magistrate.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris questioned the witness regarding the inquiry which had been carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to check out obtaining two national ID’s by Shashi Weerawansa from the department.

 

While producing the evidence, Mr. Herath said that during the inquiry the CID had checked the index card records and had identified there were two national ID’s for Shashi Weerawansa.

 

Deputy Solicitor General had submitted the certified copy of the index card record before the Chief Magistrate but Anil Silva (PC) had made his objections.

 

He mentioned the prosecution party should submit the original of the index card record along with the certified copy.

 

Subsequently, the Colombo Chief Magistrate had overruled the objections made by the defence party and allowed to continue prosecution’s questioning.

 

The Magistrate fixed the further trial for June 22 and issued summons on three witnesses in courts on next date.

 

 There were two separate cases filed against her on two counts for possessing an illegal diplomatic passport (B 22555) and submitting false details about her name and birth date to obtain fraudulently a diplomatic passport (B 60893).

The prosecution had charged the suspect for committing offences fell under section 45(1) and (a) of the Immigration Act during the time period of September 13, 2010 to February 26, 2015.

According to the CID, Sashi Weerawansa -alias Ranasinghe Randunu Mudiyanselage Sehasha Udayakanthi (No.74 J, Mangala Mawatha Hokandara)- was alleged to have possessed two identity cards and two passports obtained by submitting forged documents. 

The CID investigations had revealed that the suspect had obtained two identity cards bearing numbers 675320233V and 715346469V and two passports bearing numbers N 1284124 and D 3642817. 

 

District Court Judge accused over illegal acquisition

 By Shehan Chamika Silva                                                      

A former District Court Judge, who was accused of alleged illegal acquisition of Rs. 2.4 million during the period of January 1 – December 31, 2008, was indicted in Colombo High Court today by the Bribery Commission.

Accused, Balasooriya Arachchige Ranjan Somawansa was the former District Court Judge in Moratuwa.

The Bribery Commission leveled charges against him over acquisition of assets that are beyond to his legally earning capacity.

He was indicted over the allegation which fell under the Bribery Act and fifteen witnesses cited for the case by the prosecution.

Johnstan's five non-assets declaration cases – Trial began

By Shehan Chamika Silva

                                                            

The trial of five cases filed against former Minister Johnston Fernando over not revealing his assets and liabilities declaration from 2010 to 2014 was today initiated before Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara.

Testifying before court, prosecution witness, Senior Assistant President’s Secretary, Chandima Wickramasinghe ascertained that there was no relevant document available in Presidential Secretariat to prove any assets and liabilities declaration of former Minister according to her knowledge.

However, when cross examined by Kalinga Indatissa PC witness also said that she was unaware over any submissions regarding assets declaration directly to the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa as there was a legal provision to do so.

Meanwhile, Bribery Official Pallegedara Jayasundara, who conducted the initial inquiry over the allegation, also confirmed that according to the Presidential Secretariat there was no legal document of any assets declaration on 2010 to 2014 years.

Further, the trial would resume on July 21, 2017.

Earlier, the Commission had filed five separate cases for four years under the Non-Assets Declaration Act. 

Bond Scandal: CBSL’s officers hold unusual supreme control: Weerakumara Dissanayake

By Shehan Chamika Silva                                                      

Delivering evidence before the Commission, MP Weerakumara Dissanayake, who was a member of the two COPE committees scrutinized on bond issue, revealed to the Commission yesterday that during the COPE inquiries it was evident that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka was carrying a supreme authority and control disregarding the Auditor General and the Legislation when functioning their duties.

He said that there were instances that the officials at CBSL disobeyed the Auditor General’s directions as well as the requests made by the COPE committee.

“COPE committee had to force them some times to obtain certain information because of their reluctance of assisting the inquiry”, he said.

Mr. Dissanayake also told that he had noticed some of CBSL officials behaved suspiciously and frightfully when delivering evidence before the COPE.

“There were clear contradictions between the evidence CBSL officials gave to the first COPE committee before Mahendran was resigned and to the second COPE committee”, he said.

The Commission comprised with Supreme Court Judges Kankanithanthri T. Chitrasiri, Prasanna Sujeewa Jayawardena and former Deputy Auditor General Kandasamy Velupillai will resume the inquiry today.

Perpetual Treasuries gained 14,845 million over bond deal up to May, 2016 : Wasantha Samarasinghe

By Shehan Chamika Silva

Testifying before the Presidential Commission on Central Bank Bond issue, based on his computation, JVP Provincial councilor Wasantha Samarasinghe alleged that Perpetual Treasuries gained a profit of Rs. 14,845 million due to the CBSL bond issues from February 27, 2015 to May 26, 2016 period.

According to his calculations it was also revealed that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka sustained a direct financial loss of Rs. 55,000 million due to the bond deals during the same period.

Mr. Samarasinghe also said as a result of taking a decision to increase the market interest up to 12.5, before the acceptance of Rs. 10.058 billion amounts of bids on February 27, had diversely affected the Country’s economy and thus a loss of more than Rs. 144,000 million had been occurred to the Government.

When questioned as to how he obtained facts to prepare his reports, Mr. Samarasinghe revealed that there were primary dealers who provided significant details regarding the subject matter.

“Identity and the revelations of those primary dealers would be very important to this commission, therefore if we take their evidence in camera (not publicly) can you reveal information about those primary dealers who gave you facts?”, the Commission asked.

“Yes, it is possible to provide information regarding Primary Dealers who supplied facts to us if their identity be protected, and I would take appropriate steps tender them before commission in due course”, Mr. Samarsinghe replied.

Mr. Nihal Fernando PC, who appeared on behalf of the Perpetual Treasuries and Counsel Chanaka de Silva who appeared for Arjun Mahendran conducted the cross examination from the witness. 

When cross examined, there were few contradiction came to light regarding the yield rates and the interest rates cited in the drafts prepared by the witness comparing to the suggestions made by the Counsel, as to consider the relevancy, and accuracy of the reports.

Bond scandal: It was highway robbery: Wasantha Samarasinghe

By Shehan Chamika Silva

Testifying at the Presidential Commission, JVP Provincial councilor, Wasantha Samarasinghe (Convener of Voice Against Corruption), based on his information, alleged that the Perpetual Treasuries Ltd had suspiciously prepared themselves few weeks prior to the ‘February 27, 2015 thirty year bond auction’ by selling all bonds it possessed despite the profit.

He said that the alleged thirty year bond issuance was an organized effort by the Officials of Public Debt Department (CBSL), Bank of Ceylon, and former Governor to provide a profit to Perpetual Treasuries deceitfully.

“The Former Governor had set the background by removing the direct placement method when acquiring the required funds to the CBSL, and it caused the PDD to issue bonds at a higher interest rate which resulted an unprecedented and unexpected profit to the Perpetual treasuries within 21 months”, he said.

When the Commission questioned Mr. Samarasinghe whether any specific proofs to identify such misuse, he said that the VAC had requested details pertaining to above allegations from CBSL current Governor from the time period between to January 2015 to May 2016, but no such information received.

“Therefore I insist honorable Commission to obtain those facts from the CBSL pertaining to alleged time period and scrutinize our allegations”, he said.

Explaining the affect on the Employee’s Provident Fund, Mr. Samarasinghe said that regardless of having a clear opportunity to invest on the Primary Market, Rs. 140.1 billion funds of EPF was invested in the secondary market unusually, where interestingly 80% purchase of EPF was from the Perpetual Treasuries, thereby, it had incurred an obvious loss to the EPF fund.

“When we questioned current Governor, it was revealed that, after October 2016, investing EPF funds in secondary market had been completely stopped. And it is now apparent that purchasing such amount in secondary market had caused an evident loss to the EPF fund”, he said.

Mr. Samarasinghe also told the Commission that on several times his organization (VAC) had informed the current Governor on the alleged misuse occurred in EPF fund but no sufficient respond was received from the Governor.

Senior State Counsel Nayomi Wickramasekara led the evidence from the witness based on the letters sent by the witness to the Commission. These letters were relating to the requests made by VAC to the current CBSL Governor and the evaluations prepared by the elite members of the VAC based on the alleged irregularities bond issuance.

The Commission comprised with Supreme Court Judges Kankanithanthri T. Chitrasiri, Prasanna Sujeewa Jayawardena and former Deputy Auditor General Kandasamy Velupillai allowed to cross examine the witness today.