"Don't know how air bus funds came to Nimal Perera's account" -- Kapila Chandrasena and wife bailed out

"Don't know how air bus funds came to Nimal Perera's account" -- Kapila Chandrasena and wife bailed out

Colombo Fort magistrate Mr. Ranga Dissanayaka yesterday (4) ordered that Mr. Kapila Chandrasena, former chief administrative officer of Sri Lankan airways and his wife Priyanka Piyumali Wijeynaika who were in remand for 28 days over irregularities that have occurred in connection with purchase of aircrafts by air bus company be released on 2 million cash and 2 million sureties each of them. Th court also issued a ban on foreign travel and ordered that the two of them to appear before the criminal investigation department financial crimes division on the final Sunday of every month. 

They were bailed on the occasion when the the magisterial inquiry was held yesterday (4) relating to
a charge against the money laundering act when refleeting aircrafts for Sri Lankan airways. Suspects connected to this incident, former chief executive officer of Sri Lankan airways, Kapila Chandrasena and his wife Priyanka Neomali Wijenaika were produced before court by prison authorities. Deputy solicitor general, Mr. Thusith Mudalige represented attorney general and chief police inspector of criminal investigation department, Jayasundera and police sergeant Ruwan appeared in court armed with an additional report. 

President's counsel, attorney at law, Nalin Ladduwahetty, president's counsel, Anura Premaratna, attorney at law, Yasas Ekanayaka, attorney at law Kaushalya Rajapaksa and attorney at law Savithri Obeysekera appeared on behalf of the suspects. Deputy solicitor general Mr. Thusitha Mudalige who presented further matters to court in this connection further said: "The leading incident is Biz Solution Inc. which was being maintained by the name of the second suspect receiving 2 million American dollars. That fund has been transmitted to various places. A part of that fund has been credited to an Australian account under the first suspect's name. In the same way, from that a sum of one lakh sixty thousand has been credited to a certain account in Sri Lanka. It was actually credited to the account of one SL Abro Pvt. Ltd. Three statements have been recorded in relation to that company. A director of that company giving a statement said that this sum of money was received o request of his friend Yohan Abeyratna. 

What Yohan Abeyratna wanted was to get down monies that was in Singapore ... through this person. This person called Yohan Abeyratna has passed away last year from a heart attack. He in fact is a young man of 27 years. Because of his death, inquiries about this money stops proceeding further. When taking into consideration about this company, there is no proper address as such. It was supposed to have been stabilised in Mount Lavinia area. It is understood that that this company has commenced a business with a company called Devil and was carrying on a business of growing avocados. The balance money has been acquired by this director. What he said earlier was that he took this because of another. But actually it is he who has acquired that money. In the same way he has physically handed over two cheques. One Saranga Wijayanath Handuwala has cashed those. His addresses are false ones. It came to be known that at that time he was in Trincomalee. A warrant was sent for him to be present at criminal investigation department tomorrow.

This second suspect says that she did not know that there was an account in her name. She says that she is not aware whether she even received cash. In this instance a statement was secured from the person called Nimal Perera. What he says is that he is not aware that that these monies were received to his account. 

Courts: Are there such dumb people in this country who does not know when 8 lakhs dollars come to their account? 

Deputy solicitor general: He says that it should be checked after going to Singapore. But that request cannot be granted because it can't be believed whether he would ever return or not. 

Attorneys at law who appeared on behalf of their client who appeared in court be given bail under any conditions as his client being kept in remand custody is not a punishment for the crime. On this occasion the magistrate said that an inquiry is not in progress about the transaction or dealing relating to this incident and the inquiry is only about monies being received by the accounts concerned. Court which took into consideration information brought forward said that as sufficient matters have not been presented for the suspects to be kept in remand by the petitioner, it was ordered that suspects be released on bail. 

Further magisterial inquiry the incident has been put off for 29th of April. It was former secretary of national enterprises ministry Mr. Ravindra Hewavitharana who complained to criminal investigation department in connection with irregularities that have allegedly taken place during refleeting of aircrafts for Sri Lankan airways on August 3rd in the year 2016. It was revealed that two agreements were signed by Sri Lankan airways with Air bus S A S company of France for purchase of 4 aircrafts of A 350-900 type and 6 A 333-300 on March 16, 2013 and it is further reported that the person called Kapila Chandrasena has functioned as chief executive officer during the period August 1st, 2011 till the month of January in 2015 all of which information was reported to court by CID. 

Further, the CID has informed court that Biz Solution Inc. situated at the address Britannia House 22, 2nd Floor, Cator Road, Babdar Begawan, Bs 8811, Brunei Dartislall was commenced in the kingdom of Brunei and that company has entered into an agreement with Air Bus S A S company in France and the objective of the said agreement has been indicated as promotion of production of the then Air Bus company. The criminal investigation department further informed court that the sole shareholder of this company Biz Solution Inc. happens to be Priyanka Neomali Wijenaika and it was revealed that she possesses no service experience whatsoever of anything in relation to Sri Lankan Airways. 

- Nimanthi Ranasigha -