The extent to which former CEO of Sri Lankan and wife played the super game!

The extent to which former CEO of Sri Lankan and wife played the super game!

Fort magistrate Mr. Ranga Dissanayaka yesterday (6) issued orders to remand former chief executive officer and his wife who surrendered to CID and were taken into custody on suspicion of incidents of having taken a bribe of twenty lakhs American dollars in the deal carried out in purchasing 10 aircrafts for Sri Lankan Airways and for money laundering till next 19th. 

Since monies collected as bribes have gone to bank accounts of several individuals in Sri Lanka;
statements should be taken from those account-holders, deputy solicitor general , Mr. Thusith Mudalige has mentioned. After this was taken into consideration, it was chief executive officer of Sri Lankan Airways, Mr. Kapila Chandrasena and his wife Priyanka Neomali Wijenayaka who were sent to remand prison in this manner. 

Solicitor general Mr. Thusitha Mudalige further informed court that information about persons to whom these suspects have given the money acquired as bribes cannot be exposed in open court. After taking into consideration information revealed about the 2 million American dollars bribe acquired obtained in the deal regarding aircrafts for Sri Lankan Airways, the criminal investigation department and after considering the above-mentioned files and inquiries, according to an order issued previously by president's counsel, Mr. Dappula de Livera the police are taking steps to apprehend the suspects n a warrant secured by court and produce them before court; the suspect couple surrendered to CID last morning (6) through lawyers. Subsequently,CID officers who took them into custody secured statements from them. Later they were produced before court around 3.45 in the afternoon yesterday (6). 

The CID officers forwarded a report on the progress of investigations conducted in relation to incidents of acquiring a bribe of twenty lakhs American dollars in the case of buying 10 aircrafts necessary to complete the fleet necessary for Sri Lankan Airways and money laundering and informed that they are carrying out an investigation at length in relation to the incident concerned. 

In the instance of investigations carried out by CID in connection with the aircraft fleet of Sri Lankan Airways to be replaced, on an inquiry made by Singapore central authority in connection with letters sent by him,it was revealed that a company by the name of 'zBiz Solutions' has been registered in Singapore under the name Mrs. Priyanka Neomali Wijeynayaka and that she is the sole director and shareholder of that company and that 2 million American dollars has been remitted to Account No. 0107130602 of Singapore Standard Chartered Bank which on 27 December, 2013 was operated by this company. This sum of money was remitted by EADS HQ - SSC FRANCE it was revealed. That sum of money was was credited to the name of Mr. Kapila Chandrasena to account No. 06325610119179 on four occasions during the period May to September, 2014 and an agreement has been entered into with the mother company of Air Bus SAS company on May 16th, 2013 to purchase four A-330-900 aircrafts and six A-300-300 aircrafts. The mother company in this instance is EAD HQ - SSC FRANCE, it was revealed at investigations. 

During his tenure of service from August 1st, 2011 till the month of January as chief administration officer of Sri Lankan Airways, Mr. Kapila Chandrasena it was further exposed that mother company of Air Bus SAS, EADS - HQ - SSC FRANCE  has given a bribe of 2 million American dollars to an account under Mrs. Neomali Wijeynayaka. It was further revealed from further inquiries that that sum of monies was credited to an account maintained by Mr. Kapila Chandrasena in Australia called Commonwealth Bank. 

Solicitor general, Mr. Thusitha Mudalige wh represented CID officers and the attorney general on behalf of the plaintiff informed that it was revealed at investigations that the suspects who say that the monies acquired as bribes had found its way to bank accounts of several persons in Sri Lanka across foreign accounts of second suspect. As such, solicitor general, Mr. Thusith Mudalige mentioned that statements should be taken from owners of relevant bank account-holders and that information abut people in this country who are  supposed to be recipients cannot be exposed in pen court and that if the suspects are given bail; it could be an impediment for inquiries and therefore he opposes granting bail. 

President's counsel Messrs. Nalin Ladduwahetty and president's counsel Anuja Premaratna placed their points before court said that investigations pertaining to this incident was commenced in the year 2016  and such investigations have moved at snail's pace and after information related to this incident was published in the internet after which inquiries pertaining to this incident became hasty. They further said that their clients' names were not revealed at the court case conducted in Britain with regard to this incident. Though the petitioner party made the request to send their clients to remand custody implying that those from whom the required statements are to be obtained could face threats; if such pressure would affect them, there was a possibility that such a thing could have taken place from the year 2016 itself; but that on the contrary there is no complaint so far against them, they pointed out. 

The president's counsels finally claimed bail on their clients saying that inquiries related to this incident which commenced since the year 2016 has by now finished to a large degree; The president's counsels then asked for bail under any condition saying that their clients have created no obstacle for investigations from the beginning upto now or have avoided courts and that by saying that inquiries are not to be carried on from September 2019 upto then and therefore the request to send them to remand prison is not within the framework of law. After considering points brought forward, the magistrate ordered the suspects to be remanded till next 19th and ordered the criminal investigation officers to report of the progress relevant the the subject to courts. 

- Buddhimal Ruberu -