Case against Gamini Senarath fixed for daily trial | Daily News

Case against Gamini Senarath fixed for daily trial

The case against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Chief of Staff Gamini Sedara Senarath and three others was yesterday fixed for daily trial beginning November 7, by the Permanent High Court-at-Bar set up to hear high-profile financial fraud and corruption cases.

The accused are charged with illegally transferring Rs.500 million from Litro Gas to Canwill Holdings Pvt Limited.

When the case came up before the Trial-at-Bar bench comprising High Court Judges Sampath Abeykoon (President), Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne, the earlier trial date (October 30) was adjusted to November 7, since the defence did not receive several documents pertaining to the indictments.

However, this case will be taken up again on October 30 as a calling date in order to consider the defence’s preliminary objections regarding the court’s jurisdiction to hear this case.

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. The four accused have been charged under the Penal Code, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the Public Property Act.

The Attorney General alleged that the accused have committed the offence between February 1, 2014 and January 20, 2015.

The Attorney General filed indictments against the accused for illegally transferring Rs.500 million from Litro Gas to Canwill Holdings Pvt Limited.

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 was spent to buy an apartment for the use of fourth accused Lasantha Bandara. Therefore, the four accused have been charged with money laundering. Additionally, some of this money was used to pay off a credit card bill amounting to Rs.700,000.

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, the Central Bank’s former Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri, former Cabinet Secretary Sumith Abeysinghe, and 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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