RADA case : Warnasinghe alleges Rs.200 mn given to Emil Kanthan

Lakmal Sooriyagoda-Friday, August 3, 2018

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Western Provincial Councillor Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe, a witness in the controversial RADA case yesterday told the Colombo High Court that Tiran Alles, the first accused in the case, at a media briefing in 2010 had mentioned how he witnessed bags containing millions of rupees been given to a LTTE leader Emil Khanthan.

Warnasinghe, the first witness in the case revealed these facts while he was cross-examined by defence counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty PC when the case filed against former MP Tiran Alles and three others in connection with a Rs.200 million fraud that had allegedly taken place at the RADA in 2006 was taken up for trial yesterday.

Warnasinghe said Tiran Alles had convened a press briefing at his Nawala residence on January 22, 2010 when his residence came under a grenade attack. He further said he is in a position to present the concerned video if necessary. ‘This financial transaction with the LTTE had been revealed in Parliament by late MP Sripathi Suriyaarachchi,’ the witness said.

Meanwhile, Nishantha Warnasinghe said he and a group including Ven.Athuraliye Rathana Thera were asked to move out of the Mavil Aru area by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in July 2006 questioning as to how we fight with the LTTE if government entangled in a war.

The witness said at that time JHU leader Champika Ranawaka had been summoned to Temple Trees by former President Rajapaksa and asked to call back the group led by Rathana Thera. The former President had informed Champika Ranawaka that the situation can led to a war unless they were moved out of the Mavil Aru area.

The witness reiterated that they were asked to move out of the Mavil Aru area by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa since they were negotiating with a former LTTE finance head Emil Kanthan and a LTTEer called Elilan.

 

In reply to a question posted by Defence Counsel, the witness affirmed his previous statement that he and a group including Ven.Athuraliye Rathana Thera, Akmeemana Dayaratne Thera who reached the Mavil Aru area to open the Mavil Aru anicut sluice gate from the clutches of LTTE were told to move out of the area by the then President and Defence Secretary.

Meanwhile,the Defence Counsel tendered in court an affidavit given by Ven. Akmeemana Dayaratne Thera that he and others were not asked to move out of the Mavil Aru area by former the President or the former Defence Secretary. However, the witness rejected the facts mentioned in the affidavit and confirmed the validity of his earlier evidence.

The Defence counsel further tendered in court affidavits given by Ven. Ulapane Sumangala Thera, Counsel Maithri Gunaratne citing that they did not peruse any document pertaining to RADA fraud after being the members of the Anti-Corruption Front.

Warnasinghe said Rs.200 million had been given to the LTTE through Emil Kanthan and LTTEer called Elilan on the pretext of constructing houses in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

Witness Nishantha Warnasinghe was testifying before Colombo High Court Judge Vikum Kaluarachchi and evidence was led by Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris. He was cross-examined by President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty. The first witness will be further cross-examined on August 2.

The Attorney General had filed indictments against four accused-former RADA Chairman Tiran Alles, former North and Eastern Provinces LTTE Financial Head Emil Kanthan, former Chief Operating Officer (COO) of RADA Saliya Wickramasuriya and Dr. Jayantha Dias Samarasinghe in connection with controversial RADA fraud.