The Matara High Court has barred the use of 12 vehicles allegedly bought with money misappropriated from the Matara District Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, in a fraud investigators put at around Rs 5,000 million.
The vehicles cannot be used until 11 March next year, NewsFirst reported. They are alleged to have been purchased by Chaminda Gunasekara, the society’s former chairman, who is in remand custody over financial fraud allegations.
The Criminal Investigation Department had taken the vehicles into custody on several occasions from the various people holding them before producing them in court.
Former minister questioned
Separately, former minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena gave a statement to the CID on Wednesday over allegations that he used a jeep belonging to Gunasekara. Police said the statement was recorded over nearly four hours, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Former MP Buddhika Pathirana was also summoned to the CID in recent days over allegations that he used a vehicle belonging to Gunasekara.
Police officer remanded further
Chief Inspector Varuni Bogahawatta and four others were remanded until 20 November. The case against her concerns allegations that lease payments on a vehicle she owned were settled by Gunasekara. The CID told the court that investigations had found substantial sums deposited into her bank accounts.
Bogahawatta is the officer in charge of the administration division at Kotawila Police Station. Her Honda Vezel was taken into custody in October by the Police Financial and Commercial Crimes Investigation Division, and she was suspended on 8 November.
Not reported
The filing does not say when the alleged misappropriation took place, how the Rs 5,000 million figure was arrived at, or what the 12 vehicles are. It carries no response from Abeywardena, Pathirana, Bogahawatta or Gunasekara, and does not say whether the former minister is a suspect or a witness.
Single source. Searches of the Daily Mirror, Hiru, EconomyNext, the Island, Daily FT and Daily News found no other filing on Wednesday’s orders. Ada Derana remains blocked to this desk and Colombo Gazette is returning server errors.
