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
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Saturday, August 12, 2017
Udayanga wants warrant recalled
Defence
counsel who appeared on behalf of former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga
Weeratunga today requested to recall the arrest warrant issued against
him through the Interpol over alleged financial fraud that took place in
procuring seven MiG-27 ground attack craft for the Sri Lanka Air Force
(SLFA).
President's
Counsel Anil Silva appearing on behalf of Udayanga Weeratunga further
moved that the Fort Magistrate's order to impound two passports
belonging to his client be suspended.
Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne announced that she would deliver an appropriate order in this regard on August 21.
On
June 30, the Colombo Fort Magistrate ordered to impound two passports
belonging to former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga in the
magisterial inquiry pertaining to the controversial MiG aircraft
transaction.
Accordingly,
a diplomatic passport bearing number D 3643585 and a general passport
bearing number N 5400885 was issued by the Sri Lankan government to
Udayanga Weeratunga were ordered to be impounded by Magistrate Lanka
Jayaratne in accordance with Section 124 of the Criminal Procedure Code
and Section 51 C of the Immigrants and Emigrants Act.
The
Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne earlier issued a warrant
through the Interpol for the arrest of former Ambassador to Russia
Udayanga Weeratunga, a first cousin of former President Mahinda
Rajapaksa over alleged financial fraud that took place in procuring
seven MiG-27 ground attack craft for the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLFA).
Anil
Silva PC submitted to Court that issuing of warrant against his client
and impounding his passports had not been done in accordance with the
law.
He further said Udayanga has been in Ukraine for nearly three decades.
The
FCID conducting investigations into the controversial MiG aircraft
transaction informed Court that they have sought the assistance of
Interpol to trace former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga who is
currently living in United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The FCID informed Court that they were yet to ascertain Udayanga’s exact
address in UAE and further said he has visited multiple countries
including Japan using passports issued by the Sri Lankan government.
The FCID conducting investigations into the MiG aircraft transaction had
named Udayanga Weeratunga as a suspect in the case through a B report
dated October 11, 2016.
The
FCID sought a warrant written in English through the Interpol from the
Fort Magistrate’s Court to arrest former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga
Weeratunga over alleged financial fraud that took place in procuring
seven MiG-27 ground attack craft for the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLFA).
The
FCID told Court that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was unable to
serve notices on Udayanga Weeratunga who has been residing in Ukraine
for several years.
The
FCID had informed Court that Udayanga Weeratunga had directly
intervened into the questionable transaction in procuring MiG-27 ground
attack craft. The FCID said the deal amounted to US$14 million.
On
June 9, 2016, the Colombo Fort Magistrate issued notices on Weeratunga
to appear in Court July 15 but he did not turn up. The FCID had told
Court that they were investigating whether the former Sri Lankan
ambassador in Russia had invested money in a company called Sri Lankan
Limited Liability Company in Moscow, which allegedly earned through the
Mig-27 transaction.
The FCID launched this investigation following a complaint lodged by defence columnist and political writer Iqbal Athas.
In
his complaint to the FCID, journalist Iqbal Athas stated that he wrote
several articles regarding the financial irregularities that took place
in procuring four Mig-27 aircraft at a higher price.
He
told the police that these ground attack aircrafts were manufactured
between 1980 and 1983. He said financial irregularities had taken place
during the transaction between Sri Lank and Ukraine.