Udayanga’s FR against FCID officer re-fixed for support

Lakmal Sooriyagoda-Thursday, November 23, 2017

A Fundamental Rights petition filed by former Russian Ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga seeking an Interim Order to recall the warrant issued for his arrest by Colombo Fort Magistrate was yesterday re-fixed for support on December 5.

The matter was not taken up for support on the basis that bench was not properly constituted.

On October 20 last year, the Colombo Fort Magistrate issued a warrant written in English through the Interpol for the arrest of Udayanga Weeratunga, a first cousin of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This is over alleged financial fraud that is alleged to have taken place in procuring seven MiG-27 ground attack crafts for the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLFA).

Weeratunga had filed this petition through his mother-in-law Latha Indrani, his power of attorney holder.

In his petition, Weeratunga stated that he is currently residing in Mekhanizatoriv Street Kiev, Ukraine and sought an Interim Order restraining the Central Bank's Financial Intelligence Unit Director from suspending his bank accounts and continuing to suspend his bank accounts.

The petitioner stated that the seventh respondent, an FCID Chief Inspector had moved Magistrate’s Court for a warrant for his arrest.

The petitioner sought a declaration from the Court that the Chief Inspector infringed the petitioner’s Fundamental Rights guaranteed in terms of Articles 11, 12(1) and 13 of the constitution. The petitioner further said the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank has infringed his Fundamental Rights guaranteed in the constitution by the purported decision to suspend debit transactions of the bank accounts in contravention of the provisions of the Financial Transaction Reporting Act No. 6 of 2006.

In his complaint to the FCID, journalist Iqbal Athas stated that he had written several articles regarding the financial irregularities that had taken place in procuring four Mig-27 aircraft at a higher price.

He told the police that these ground attack aircraft had been manufactured between 1980 and 1983. He said financial irregularities had taken place during the transaction between Sri Lank and Ukraine.

President's Counsel Manohara de Silva appeared for the petitioner. Additional Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda PC appeared for the Attorney General.