Brian Shaddick’s wife gives evidence against Gammanpila

The wife of Australian businessman Brian Shaddick, the third witness in the alleged financial fraud case filed against the two accused, including Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader MP Udaya Gammanpila yesterday informed the Colombo High Court that she had never put her signature executing a Power of Attorney to Gammanpila, for the selling of shares belonging to the Digital Nominees Company.

Witness Janet Elizabeth Shaddick, (69), was present before Colombo High Court A.A.R. Heiyanthuduwa in connection with an indictment filed against MP Udaya Gammanpila and Sydney Jayasinghe for allegedly misappropriating Rs.21 million following their alleged fraudulent share transaction that took place in 2000. In replying to a question raised by Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris regarding a power of attorney, the witness said her signature had been allegedly used.

“I was shocked to see this document because there are a number of forged things. Whoever put the signature was not known to me. It looks like this Power of Attorney was given by us for Gammanpila’s benefit. It is a silly act. I have not given such authority to Gammanpila,’ Mrs. Shaddick said.

Meanwhile, after perusing the document in question, the witness said the handwriting in the document that looks like it was written by Gammanpila. When asked as to how she came to such a conclusion, the witness said she was familiar with Gammanpila’s handwriting since he had earlier sent a fax message with his handwriting.

‘Sydney Jayasinghe and Gammanpila were employees of our company. I was enthusiastic to learn about Buddhism. I wanted to ask Sydney Jayasinghe about the wife of The Buddha. He said he was a Christian and asked that this question be referred to Gammanpila.

“Udaya Gammanpila was an office boy of our company. He was employed under the recommendation of Sydney Jayasinghe. Gammanpila had sent me a fax message in his handwriting regarding the wife of The Buddha. So, I can recognize his handwriting which were written in block capital letters,” the witness said.

Meanwhile, the witness further said she was informed by his husband that Udaya Gammanpila and another person named Jagath had told him that there is a conspiracy to assassinate him by the youngest son of Sydney Jayasinghe. Thereafter, he did not come back to Sri Lanka until 2015,” the witness further added.

The witness was cross examined by Defence Counsel Nalinda Indatissa.

Further trial was fixed for today (25).

The Attorney General (AG) alleged that MP Udaya Gammanpila has cheated Rs.20 million and misappropriated another Rs. 21 million along with Sydney Jayasinghe, the second accused when selling shares of Digital Nominees to a businessman called Dhammika Perera.

The AG further charged that the alleged business transaction had taken place using a fraudulent Power of Attorney to sell shares belonging to Australian businessman Brian Shadick.

The AG has listed 20 persons as the witnesses in the case and named 16 documents as production items of the case. MP Gammanpila was arrested in this regard on June 18, 2016.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris with Senior State Counsel Nayana Seneviratne appeared for the Attorney General.

President’s Counsel Jayantha Weerasinghe with Shavindra Fernando and Senior Counsel Nalinda Indatissa appeared for the accused.