Gamini Senarath pleads not guilty | Daily News

Gamini Senarath pleads not guilty

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Chief of Staff Gamini Sedara Senarath and three others yesterday pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against them by the Attorney General.

Accordingly, the case was fixed for November 14 as a calling date by the Colombo Permanent High Court-at-Bar.

Meanwhile, the court refused to entertain the preliminary objections raised by Senarath and three others challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear this case.

The accused are charged with illegally transferring Rs.500 million from Litro Gas to Canwill Holdings Pvt Limited.

The four accused, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Chief of Staff Gamini Sedara Senarath, former Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Managing Director Piyadasa Kudabalage, former Samurdhi Commissioner Neil Bandara Hapuwinna and Lasantha Bandara are currently on bail. The four accused have been charged under the Penal Code, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the Public Property Act.

The Attorney General alleged that the accused have committed this offence between February 1, 2014 and January 20, 2015.

The Attorney General filed indictments against the accused for illegally transferring Rs.500 million from Litro Gas to Canwill Holdings Pvt Limited.

The Attorney General alleged that the money had instead gone into the account of Helanco Hotels and Spa that backed the proposed Hyatt Hotel in Hambantota. The first instalment of Rs. 50 million had been transferred on February 14, while Rs 450 million was transferred on February 19. Piyadasa Kudabalage, the second accused in the case, it is alleged, on October 13, 2014, again transferred Rs. 48 million from this amount to purchase two plots at Sandatenna, Nuwara Eliya. It is also alleged that another Rs. 18.9 million had been spent to buy an apartment for the use of fourth accused Lasantha Bandara. Therefore, the four accused have been charged for money laundering.

Additionally, some of this money was used to pay off a credit card bill amounting to around Rs.700,000.

The Attorney General has listed 92 documents as evidence while 63 persons have been named as witnesses.

Former Ceylinco Group Chairman Lalith Kotelawala, President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, the Central Bank’s former Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri, former Cabinet Secretary Sumith Abeysinghe, and Bank of Ceylon and Urban Development Authority officials have been named as witnesses.

Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige appeared for the Attorney General. President’s Counsel Gamini Marapana, Anil Silva PC, Ali Sabry PC, and Counsel Sampath Mendis appeared for the accused. 


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