Tiran Alles remanded over RADA case

By Shehan Chamika Silva

Former MP Tiran Alles and two others have been remanded till November 10 after being indicted, over the case in which they were accused of misappropriating Rs. 124 million at RADA in 2006. 

The four accused were, former RADA Chairman Tiran Alles, former Chief Operating Officer (COO) of RADA Saliya Wickramasuriya, Dr. Jayantha Dias Samarasinghe and Emil Kanthan. Emil Kanthan is currently evading courts and was not present in court today. 

Attorney General had filed indictments against the accused under the Penal Code and Public Property Act, thereby needed exceptional circumstances to release them on bail. 

However, counsel appeared on behalf of the accused moved exceptional circumstances as high concerned health conditions of the accused therefore, being kept in remand custody a death threatening to their clients. 

The prosecution said they should have given advance notice on these exceptional circumstances in order to peruse into medical reports. They moved court to provide a short period to submit its stance over the bail application. 

Acceding the prosecution's request, High Court Judge Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena put off the case for November 10 to consider the defence's bail appeal on exceptional circumstances. 

Navy Intelligence officers involved in two disappearances: CID Ex- SDIG Anura, DIG Vass had interrupted CCD in the initial probe

 By Shehan Chamika Silva 

Navy intelligence officers in Welisara were directly involved in the disappearance of two individuals in 2009, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) informed the Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishanthan Peiris on October 26.

Filing a comprehensive report before Court, the CID stated that Wadiwel Pakkilisami and Rathnasami Paramanandan were allegedly abducted by unknown individuals in a white van in January 2009.

According to the CID both Pakkilisami and Paramanadan were not suspected of being engaged in terrorist activities nor involved in such activities nor aided such activities.  

Earlier, investigation into the alleged abductions was conducted by then Sub Inspector of the Colombo Crime Division (CCD), Wijeysinghe.

However, during the investigation conducted by the CCD, it was interrupted and stopped by then high ranked police officials.

Later, following a complaint lodge with the CID by the wives of the abductees, Inspector of Police Nishantha Silva took over the inquiry.

According to the statements recorded from SI Wijesinghe, It was revealed in court that former SDIG Anura Senanayake and former DIG Vass Gunawardena had interrupted into the investigations carried out by the CCD at the beginning.

If those high ranked police officials wouldn't have involved and interrupted into the investigation, police could have apprehended the real culprits and also the so- called vehicle used in the abductions at the very onset, said SI Wijeysinghe in his statement to the CID.

On an earlier occasion, the prosecution found the so-called white vehicle used in the abductions, which was apportioned into 72 parts at a room in Welisara Gamunu Navy Intelligence Unit.

The CID said those vehicle parts have been sent to the Government Analyst for further examination.

The prosecution also informed court that according to the information revealed from the mobile phone conversations of the abductees, victims were around the Welisara area after they were abducted.

The CID also said mobile Phones belonged to Pakkili Sami and Paramanandan had been recovered   in the possession of two Navy officials at the Welisara Camp during the investigation.

The prosecution said it had initiated a broad investigation into the alleged abductions and the involvement of the high ranked police officials who had interrupted the initial inquiry.

Further inquiry was put-off for November 24.

Raviraj case to be tried before a ‘Special Jury’

 

By Shehan Chamika Silva

 

The Colombo High Court today allowed to conduct the trial pertaining to killing of Former TNA MP Nadaraja Raviraj in the presence of a Special Jury.

 

High Court Judge Manilal Waidyathilaka made the decision considering the provisions vested in Criminal Procedure Code that to demand a jury trial by the prosecution or the defence on justifiable reasons.

 

At a previous occasion, the defence attorneys appeared on behalf of the accused had requested for a jury trial consisting of Sinhala speaking members into the murder of the former TNA MP. 

 

The Prosecution had sought court to conduct the trial in the presence of a Special Jury which is comprised with seven jurors who are Sinhala speaking Sri Lankan graduates.

 

However, the Counsel who appeared on behalf of the aggrieved party, raised objections against the request stating that a trial by jury could not be allowed in this case since three charges out of five had been leveled under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

 

The High Court judge refused the objection raised by the aggrieved party and allowed the request made by the both prosecution and defence.

 

Earlier, The Colombo High Court allowed prosecution to continue the trial in the absence of missing three suspects into the case under the section 241 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

 

There were six suspects indicted by the Attorney General under the Prevention of Terrorism Act over killing of Raviraj and his driver in 2006.

 

The three suspects, Palana sami suresh, Febian Tusen and Sivakanandan alias Charan were missing from the case.

 

Other suspects in remand custody were Prasad Chandana Kumara, Gamini Seneviratne and Pradeep Chaminda.

 

Wijeya Wickrema Manamperige Sanjaya Preethi Viraj who was also once a suspect to the case was made as a Crown witness for the Raviraj murder trial by the prosecution.

 

Raviraj was shot dead near his residence at Manning Town in Narahenpita in November 2006 when he was driving his vehicle along Martha Road.

 

Deputy Solicitor General Rohantha Abeysooriya appeared for the Attorney General. Counsel Anuja Premaratne appeared for the accused.

 

CID probes against Gamini Lokuge over contempt of court

By Shehan Chamika Silva

The CID today informed the court that it had initiated an inquiry against former minister Gamini Lokuge under the allegation of contempt of court over an alleged statement made by him to the media regarding the remand order given by the High Court on Tissa Attanayake recently.

Subsequently, acceding the prosecution request, Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya allowed the CID to obtain video recordings of the so-called statement of Mr. Lokuge from five media institutes to continue the inquiry.

On a complaint lodged by Mohammad Misar Maulana, a businessman, the CID had begun the investigation on Mr. Lokuge's statement made on October 19 at the High Court premises, Colombo.

Nishantha Ranatunga bailed out in threat case

By Shehan Chamika Silva

Former Secretary of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Nishantha Ranatunga was today released on bail by Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitya over charges of posing death threats to Colombo District Cricket Council Secretary Aruna Wijaya de Silva during an election at SLC on December 18, 2015.

He appeared at the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today upon notices issued into the inquiry conducted by the Cinnamon Gardens Police based on a complaint lodged by the victim de Silva.

The Magistrate released him on a surety bail of Rs. 100, 000. 

Ranatunga was charged under section 486 of the penal code for criminal intimidation by the police.

After pleading not guilty to the charges by the suspect, the Magistrate put off the further inquiry for December 5.

FCID is legal: Court

By Shehan Chamika Silva

The Colombo Fort Magistrate today upheld that the incorporation of the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) was legal and within the legal powers vested in the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne also rejected legal objections raised by the Counsel appearing for former Minister Wimal Weerawansa's brother Sarath and NFF MP Jayantha Samaraweera, over the legality of establishing the FCID.

The Magistrate observed that there was no obstacle that impeded the FCID from carrying out its investigations.

Earlier, appearing for the suspects, defence counsel moved a written legal objection that the FCID had no jurisdiction or legal power to file cases in Magistrate's Courts since it was not incorporated as a Police Station but only a division by the IGP in contradiction the Criminal Procedure Code.

Ravi K’s former FB administrator remanded

By Shehan Chamika Silva

The former administrator of the Finance Minister’s official Facebook account was ordered to be remanded till October 27 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris today on charges of maintaining the FB page without the ministry's consent.

The CID arrested Diyagama Mudiyanselage Rupa Sagara on a complaint made by the finance ministry secretary and produced him in the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

The CID informed Court that the suspect was appointed administrator of the account in September 2015 and removed in December 2015 for posting contents without ministry permission. However, according to the complainant the suspect had continued to post contents on the account though banned from doing so.

Chanuka Ratwatte, four others granted bail

By Shehan Chamika Silva

Chanuka Ratwatte and four others remanded on charges of misusing Rs.4.2 billion in state funds, were today released on bail by Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne.

Mr. Ratwatte was released on a cash bail of Rs.300,000 with three sureties of Rs.2 million each.

On a previous occasion the FCID informed Court that the suspects had misused funds belonging to the Central Bank and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Employees’ Provident Fund by investing the funds in Government Securities through Entrust Securities PLC, a company headed by the suspects.

The other four suspects released on bail are -- Dharmapriya Bandara Dasanayake (Chairman of Entrust Securities PLC), Romesha Dushanthi Senarath (Executive Director), Sanjeewa Dayaratne (Director) and Niloshan Romelo Mendis.

Avant Garde case: Senadhipathi permitted to travel abroad

By Shehan Chamika Silva

Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya today permitted Nissanka Senadhipathi to travel to Singapore and Germany for medical treatments for a period of one year.

The Court allowed him to travel abroad on additional three sureties of Rs. 5 million each.

However, the Bribery Commission objected granting permission to the suspect to travel abroad for a period of one year.

The Magistrate also observed that suspect should be in present in court on every calling date of his cases, if failing to do so would be a result of his relief be permanently annulled.

Earlier court imposed a travel ban on the suspect over the two cases filed against him by the Commission.

Mr. Senadhipathi was a suspect into the Bribery Commission's inquiry over corruption charges at the Avant Guard Maritime Services over permitting the Avant Garde Maritime Services to operate a floating armory supporting AGMS to earn Rs. 11.4 billion causing a financial lost to the government.

He was also a suspect of another case in which the commission alleged with bribery charges for allegedly  offering and accepting a Rs. 35.5 million bribe.

$14 mn MIG aircraft deal: Court issued int'l warrant on Udayanga

FCID named him as suspect to the inquiry

By Shehan Chamika Silva

Colombo Fort Magistrate today allowed the FCID request to issue an arrest warrant through Interpol on one-time Sri Lankan ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga over the inquiry conducted into the huge financial loss caused to the state in the purchase of Ukraine-built MIG-27 aircraft in 2006.

The directive was given following Mr. Weeratunga being named as a suspect to the inquiry by the FCID.

Earlier on two occasions the magistrate refused the prosecution’s request to issue international arrest warrant on Mr. Weeratunga since based on the legal provisions vested in the Criminal Procedure Code Mr. Weeratunga was not named as a suspect to the inquiry the prosecution.

Filing a B report in court the FCID yesterday named Udayanga Weeratunga as a suspect to the inquiry. Subsequently, allowing the FCID’s request, Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne allowed to issue an arrest warrant through Interpol on the suspect Mr. Weeratunga.

According to Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) Inspector Nihal Francis the deal amounted to US$14 million.