The FCID conducting investigations into the controversial MiG aircraft transaction, informed Court that they have sought the assistance of Interpol to trace the residential address of former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga who is currently living in United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The FCID informed Court that they were yet to ascertain Udayanga’s exact address in the UAE and further said steps have been taken to execute the warrant against Udayanga Weeratunga.
Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne had earlier issued a warrant through Interpol for the arrest
of former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga, a first cousin of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa over alleged financial fraud that is alleged to have taken place in procuring seven MiG-27 ground attack crafts for the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLFA).
The FCID conducting investigation into MiG aircraft transaction had named Udayanga Weeratunga as a suspect in the case through a ‘B’ report dated October 11, 2016.
The FCID sought a warrant written in English through the Interpol from the Fort Magistrate’s Court to arrest former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga over alleged financial fraud that is alleged to have taken place in procuring seven MiG-27 ground attack crafts for the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLFA). The FCID told Court that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had unable to serve notices on Udayanga Weeratunga who have been residing in Ukraine for several years.
The FCID had informed Court that Udayanga Weeratunga had directly intervened into the questionable transaction in procuring MiG-27 ground attack crafts. The FCID said the deal amounted to US$14 million.
On June 9, 2016 the Colombo Fort Magistrate had issued notices on Udayanga Weeratunga to appear in Court July 15 but he did not turn up.
The FCID had told Court that they were investigating whether the former Sri Lankan Ambassador in Russia had invested money in a company called Sri Lankan Limited Liability Company in Moscow, which were earned through the Mig-27 transaction.
The FCID launched this investigation following a complaint lodged by defence columnist and political writer Iqbal Athas.
In his complaint to the FCID, journalist Iqbal Athas stated that he had written several articles regarding the financial irregularities that had taken place in procuring four Mig-27 aircraft at a higher price. He told the police that these ground attack aircrafts had been manufactured between 1980 and 1983. He said financial irregularities had taken place during the transaction between Sri Lank and Ukraine.
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