The Colombo Permanent High Court-at-Bar yesterday fixed for today (29), further trial in a case filed against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Chief of Staff Gamini Sedara Senarath and three others.
This is for illegally transferring Rs.500 million from Litro Gas to Canwill Holdings Pvt Limited.
Deepa Nayanakanthi, a director of the Central Bank testified before the Trial-at-Bar bench comprising High Court Judges Sampath Abeykoon (President), Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne.
Further trial fixed for today (29).
Four accused – former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Chief of Staff Gamini Sedara Senarath, former Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Managing Director Piyadasa Kudabalage, former Samurdhi Commissioner Neil Bandara Hapuwinna and Lasantha Bandara – are currently on bail.
The four accused have been charged under the Penal Code, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the Public Property Act.
The Attorney General alleged that the accused committed the offence between February 1, 2014 and January 20, 2015. The Attorney General filed indictments against the accused for illegally transferring Rs.500 million from Litro Gas to Canwill Holdings Pvt Limited.
The Attorney General further alleged that the money had instead gone into the account of Helanco Hotels and Spa that backed the proposed Hyatt Hotel in Hambantota. The first installment of Rs. 50 million was transferred on February 14, while Rs 450 million was transferred on February 19.
Piyadasa Kudabalage, the second accused in the case, it is alleged, on October 13, 2014, again transferred Rs. 48 million from this amount to purchase two plots at Sandatenna, Nuwara Eliya. It is also alleged that another Rs. 18.9 million was spent to buy an apartment for the use of fourth accused Lasantha Bandara.
Therefore, the four accused have been charged with money laundering.
Additionally some of this money was used to pay off a credit card bill amounting to around Rs.700,000.
The Attorney General has listed 92 documents as evidence, while 63 persons have been named as witnesses.
Former Ceylinco Group chairman Lalith Kotelawala, President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, the Central Bank’s former Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri, former Cabinet Secretary Sumith Abeysinghe, and Bank of Ceylon and Urban Development Authority officials have been named as witnesses.
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