Two persons including former Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) Chairman Shashi Welgama, a nephew of former Transport Minister Kumara Welgama were yesterday ordered to be further remanded till March 9 by Colombo Additional Magistrate J. Trotsky for allegedly cheating and misappropriating Rs.125 million of public funds when purchasing a stock of leaf springs to the SLTB between 2010 and 2012.
The Additional Magistrate refused to grant bail to the suspects citing there is no exceptional circumstances to release the them on bail at this juncture.
On December 20, 2017 two suspects Shashi Welgama and Nandana Priyantha Perera, the owner of Nandana Auto Products Co. Ltd were arrested by CID regarding an investigation into a financial fraud said to have taken place when purchasing leaf springs to the SLTB.
The CID had informed Court that the SLTB on two occasions had paid advance payments amounting to Rs.40 million and Rs.166 million respectively to the suspect Nandana Priyantha Perera in order to provide leaf springs to the SLTB. The CID further alleged that the suspect had supplied the leaf springs to SLTB with a deficiency, which amounted Rs.24 million and Rs.101 million respectively. The CID had further alleged that the former SLTB Chairman had given his authorisation for the concerned financial transactions acting in his capacity as the then Chairman of SLTB. The CID further informed Court that original documents pertaining to this fraudulent transaction had been destroyed by previous administration and a complaint regarding this incident had been made by present SLTB Chairman Ramal Siriwardena. The suspects are charged under the offences come under Public Property Act.
However, President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa appearing for the former SLTB Chairman had denied allegations levelled against his client citing that there is no evidence to prove that his client involved in the financial transaction.
He further told Court that his client had been subjected to a bypass surgery in 2014 and that fact be considered as an exceptional circumstance to release him on bail.
At a previous occasion, Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris had issued an order directing the Controller of the Emigration and Immigration to prevent four individuals including the former SLTB Chairman, Nandana Priyantha, Sanjeewa Waidyatilleke and Sumith Hettiarachchi from leaving the country.
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