Witness claims Finance Ministry’s defender used for Ravi’s personal staff

The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar today (08) heard the case filed against former President’s Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath and three others over the alleged misappropriation of Rs 500 million in funds that belong to Litro Gas.

The case was taken up before the Special High Court three-judge bench comprising Justices Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne.

The defense attorney President’s Counsel Ali Sabry cross-examined the 9th witness in the case, Menaka Rajakaruna, an accountant of Canvil Holdings, was continued during today’s hearing.

Accordingly, Menaka Rajakaruna said that a defender belonging to Helanko Hotels & Spa had been assigned to the Finance Ministry under a lease agreement.

The witness further stated an audit conducted by the company had revealed that the taxes for the relevant vehicle had not been paid by the Ministry, however, when the company had inquired the Ministry in this regard, the Ministry has stated that they were not in possession of the said defender.

Responding to the cross-examination of the defense attorney, he said that it was later revealed that the defender has been employed for the use of the personal staff of Minister Ravi Karunanayake.

Subsequently, further hearing of the case was postponed to tomorrow (09).

The Attorney General had filed the case against the defendants under the Public Property Act for allegedly misappropriating Rs 500 million funds belonging to Litro Gas Lanka by investing in ventures including the Helanko Hotels & Spa hotel project, from 1st of February 2014 to 20th January 2015.

Piyadasa Kudabalage and Neil Bandara Hapuhinna and Lasantha Bandara have been named as the other three defendants of the case.