The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar yesterday ordered the first Central Bank Bond scam case to proceed in the absence of former Central Bank Governor Arjun Mahendran and Ajahan Gardiya Punchihewa, currently hiding abroad.
The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar granted permission after considering the request made by Additional Solicitor General Priyantha Navana who appeared on behalf of the Attorney General seeking permission to proceed with the case without those two accused, as state diplomatic talks are underway between the two countries to bring the accused to Sri Lanka under the Extradition Act.The case was taken up before the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar bench comprising Colombo High Court Judges Champa Janaki Rajaratne, Damith Thotawatte and Namal Balalle.
ASG Navana said the Sri Lankan government had made requests to the Singaporean government for two and a half years and had not yet responded even to the last request, adding that the request was made without prejudice to the process.
It was revealed in court that information has been received that Ajahan Gardiya Punchihewa, who has been named as the 10th accused in the case, has now fled Singapore and is residing in Malaysia.
Two CID officers and a witness for the Controller of Immigration and Emigration testified before the Court that the defendants had evaded Court.
Senior State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama conducted those testimonies yesterday. Considering the circumstances, the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar granted permission to proceed the case in the absence of those two accused. The case will be taken up again on January 7. The Attorney General filed an indictment against ten accused for causing a loss of over Rs. 688 million to the government through the first Central Bank bond issue on February 27, 2015 during the period of ‘Yahapalana’ government.
The Attorney General filed indictment against ten accused including former Central Bank Governor Arjun Mahendran, its former Deputy Governor Pattinige Samarasiri, Perpetual Treasury Directors Arjun Aloysius and Geoffrey Aloysius, Perpetual Treasuries CEO Kasun Palisena under the Public Property Act, alleging a loss of over Rs. 688 million at a Central Bank bond auction held by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka on February 27, 2015.
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