Former Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) Chairman Shashi Welgama, a nephew of former Transport Minister Kumara Welgama was yesterday ordered to be released on bail by Colombo Additional Magistrate J. Trotsky as he fulfilled bail conditions imposed by the Colombo High Court.
On Monday the Colombo High Court ordered the release Shashi Welgama on a cash bail of Rs.200,000 with two sureties of Rs.5 million pursuant to a revision application filed by Welgama challenging the Magistrate’s Court order to refuse bail.
The suspect was further barred from leaving the country. Shashi Welgama was arrested for allegedly cheating and misappropriating Rs.125 million of public funds when purchasing a stock of leaf springs to the SLTB between 2010 and 2012.
On December 20, 2016, Shashi Welgama was arrested by CID along with Nandana Priyantha Perera the owner of Nandana Auto Products Co. Ltd regarding an investigation into a financial fraud said to have taken place when purchasing leaf springs to the SLTB.
The CID had informed Court that the SLTB on two occasions had paid advance payments amounting to Rs.40 million and Rs.166 million respectively to the suspect Nandana Priyantha Perera in order to provide leaf springs to the SLTB. The CID further alleged that the suspect had supplied the leaf springs to SLTB with a deficiency, which amounted Rs.24 million and Rs.101 million respectively.
The CID had further alleged that the former SLTB Chairman had given his authorisation for the concerned financial transactions acting in his capacity as the then Chairman of SLTB. The CID further informed Court that original documents pertaining to this fraudulent transaction had been destroyed by the previous administration and a complaint regarding this incident had been made by present SLTB Chairman Ramal Siriwardena. The suspects are charged under the offences under Public Property Act.
At a previous occasion, the Colombo Additional Magistrate had issued an order directing the Controller of the Emigration and Immigration to prevent four individuals including the former SLTB Chairman, Nandana Priyantha, Sanjeewa Waidyatilleke and Sumith Hettiarachchi from leaving the country.
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