Court re-issues open warrant on Jaliya
April 24, 2018 02:28 pm
The Colombo Fort Magistrate today re-issued an open warrant for the arrest of former Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States, Jaliya Wickramasuriya, who is under investigation for allegedly misusing state funds.
The open warrant was issues by Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne after considering a request made by the Police Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID).
Meanwhile the court also issued warrants for the arrest of Wickramasuriya’s wife and cousin sister, who had signed as sureties when he was granted bail and are now absconding.
The FCID informed the court that investigations are being carried out in order to bring the former diplomat back to Sri Lanka.
The magistrate postponed the case until May 14 while instructing the FCID to submit a report on the progress of investigations on that date.
Wickramasuriya has been charged with allegedly accepting a commission of US$ 332,000 following a contract awarded to refurbish the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington DC while serving as the Ambassador to the US, under the previous government.
He was permitted to travel abroad by the Fort Magistrate’s Court on July 10 last year, however has failed to appear before the court since.
