Court rejects arrest warrant request for Udayanga

September 30, 2016 12:55 pm

The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today rejected a request to issue an arrest warrant for Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga.

Police requested the court to issue a warrant through Interpol as a statement is needed from Weeratunga, who is currently oversea, in connection with a controversial USD 10 million deal to buy four MiG-27 fighter jets in 2006.

However, Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne stated that as of yet Udayanga Weeratunga has not been named as a suspect and therefore a warrant cannot be issued for his arrest.

The court instructed police to proceed with further investigations into the incident.

The Sri Lankan Air Force had signed an agreement with Ukrainian firm Ukrinmash to buy four MiG fighters at a cost of USD 2.462 million each as well as overhauling four existing SLAF MiG-27 aircraft.

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