The case against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Chief of Staff Gamini Sedara Senarath and three others was yesterday fixed for trial on a day-to-day basis before the Permanent High Court-at-Bar.
The case is to be heard on a day-to-day basis from October 29.
This is for illegally transferring of Rs.500 million from Litro Gas to Canwill Holdings.
The Trial-at-Bar bench comprising High Court Judges Sampath Abeykoon (President), Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne issued summons on four prosecution witnesses including President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa directing them to appear in Court on the next trial date.
The case will be taken up again on September 28 as a calling date to ascertain whether the prosecution has given necessary documents to the defence.
The 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.
They had been charged under the Penal Code, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the Public Property Act.
The Attorney General alleged that the accused had committed this offence between February 1, 2014 and January 20, 2015. The Attorney General filed indictments against the accused for illegally transferring of Rs.500 million from Litro Gas to Canwill Holdings.
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 instalment of Rs 50 million had been transferred on February 14 while Rs 450 million was sent 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 had been spent to buy an apartment for the use of fourth accused Lasantha Bandara.
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, former Central Bank Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri, former Cabinet Secretary Sumith Abeysinghe, Bank of Ceylon and Urban Development Authority officials have been named as witnesses. Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige appeared for the Attorney General. President’s Counsel Gamini Marapana, Anil Silva PC, Ali Sabry PC and Counsel Navin Marapana appeared for the accused.
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