A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Thursday, May 11, 2017
FCID Accuses Attorney General Of Being Sluggish In Rajapaksa Investigations
Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID)
has accused the Attorney General of adopting a sluggish attitude in
directing the division on how to proceed with certain vital cases
concerning former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his associates.
According to highly placed sources closely connected to the FCID, apart
from coming under pressure from powerful quarters, the FCID is also
compelled to ‘sit and wait’ because despite referring certain cases to
the AG, they are yet to receive instructions on how to proceed. Chief
among these cases is the investigation into the purchase of the Mariott
Hotel in Dubai by Nandana Lokuwithana, a very close associate of Rajapaksa’s.
“Due to the Attorney General’s delay, even the FCID is unable to take any action,” sources said.
In recent months, Lokuwithana has become a close associate of a top
minister in the Maithripala Sirisena – Ranil Wickremesinghe government.
“This association can also be one reason why no action is being taken
against him,” a source said.
Incidentally this development also comes amidst reports that the FCID
has become virtually defunct. However, the Sri Lanka Police has denied
these reports and have claimed that investigations by the FCID is being
carried out successfully and that an additional team of police officers
including several ASPs were assigned to strengthen the Division.
Lokuwithana, is a Dubai based Sri Lankan businessman, and an alleged front man of Rajapaksa’s.
While in power, it is reported that Rajapaksa had invested heavily on
properties in Dubai through Lokuwithana, who reportedly hails from
Nattandiya, and was introduced to Rajapaksa by his one-time loyalist,
Sajin Vass Gunawardena. Lokuwithana bought the Ceylon Heavy Industries
and Construction company (CHICO) (former Ceylon Steel Corporation) for
US$ 77 million at the invitation of the Rajapaksa regime. In the Panama
Papers, Lokuwithana was identified with connection to an entity by the
name of ‘Nilona Fashions’ which was incorporated in December 2000 and is
within the jurisdiction of Seychelles, incidentally another hotspot
where the Rajapaksa’s are alleged to have hidden their assets.