Lalith Weeratunga allowed to travel abroad

The Court of Appeal yesterday allowed former Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga who was convicted of misappropriating Rs.600 million of funds belonging to TRC, to go abroad over a period of one month.

The Attorney General did not raise objections to the request made by the defence.

Taking into consideration a revision application filed by Lalith Weeratunga, the Court of Appeal two-judge-Bench comprising Justice (President) Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Shiran Goonaratne ordered to set aside the Colombo High Court’s decision to reject Weeratunga’s request to go abroad.

On January 29, the Colombo High Court had rejected a request made by former Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga that he be allowed to go abroad.

Weeratunga who was convicted of misappropriating Rs. 600 million of funds belonging to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) had sought the Colombo High Court’s permission to travel to Doha, Qatar and Australia in the months of March and April.

While rejecting the application, High Court Judge Gihan Kulatunga had observed there is no legal basis to consider this application since a person convicted of an offence has no right to be presumed innocent.

The High Court Judge further observed that the accused’s request cannot be considered as an urgent requirement since his request was not based on a medical requirement.

On September 7 last year, Lalith Weeratunga and Anusha Palpita were found guilty of misappropriating Rs.600 million of funds belonging to TRC in connection with the controversial Sil Redi (Fabrics used by devotees to observe Sil) distribution case.

They were sentenced to three-year-rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court.

They had filed appeal petitions in the Court of Appeal challenging the judgment of the Colombo High Court. They are currently out on bail.

Counsel Kanchana Ratwatte appeared for Lalith Weeratunga. Senior State Counsel Nayomi Wickremasekara appeared for the Attorney General.