Allegedly providing false evidence to PCoI on T-Bonds scam CID files case against Ravi Karunanayake

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday (14), filed a case against Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake in the Colombo Fort Chief Magistrate’s Court for having allegedly provided false evidence before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) which probed the Central Bank Treasury Bonds scam.

The CID told Court that as stated in the report compiled by the PCol, which probed the CBSL Treasury Bonds scam from 1 February 2015 to 31 March 2016 and based on its 25th recommendation, from the inquiry conducted by the CID, from 24 January this year and on the hearing conducted by the PCol on 2 August, 2017, it had come to light that Karunanayake had provided false evidence before the PCol.

The CID informed the Court that the AG had informed the President of his decision on implementing the recommendations contained in the PCoI report and that through the letter dated 24 January, the AG had ordered the CID to launch an inquiry if they are satisfied that individuals, Chief Executive Officer of the primary dealer Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) Kasun Palisena, Steve Samuel, Karunanayake and B.J.R. Sinnaiah had provided false evidence before the PCol and if the said offence falls under Section 109(5)(A) of the Penal Code.

The CID informed the Court that the offence committed falls under the said Section of the Penal Code. Also the AG had advised the CID that if the suspects could be identified they should be apprehended and produced before a Magistrate. However, before doing so what the suspects have to say should be recorded as statements given by them and to then launch inquiries into such statements.

They added that they had considered the recommendations and the findings contained in the PCol report and the evidence given on oath by then Minister Karunanayake had also been included in the report.

The CID informed Court that they had initiated a probe to verify the truth of the statements provided by Karunanayake before the PCoI and that they had already recorded statements from 30 persons in this connection.

They said that at first glance of the evidence on oath by the MP concerned before the PCol, it was clear to them that the MP had intentionally provided false evidence and based on Sections 188 and 190 of the Penal Code, Karunanayake had committed the punishable offence.

The CID reported to the Court that Karunanayake had provided certain evidence before the PCol which probed the CBSL Treasury Bonds scam.

These concerned: 1) The alleged connection between Karunanayake and PTL Beneficiary Owner Arjun Aloysius; 2) Whether Karunanayake knew Neil de Silva or about whether Karunanayake was aware of the Short Message Service sent by de Silva to Karunanayake’s cell phone; 3) Whether Karunanayake had inquired from Vijitha Wijesuriya on renting a suitable house; and when Karunanayake and his family members had inquired from Wijesuriya at times on renting a suitable house or whether Karunanayake was aware that the rent paid for the house he had occupied at the Monach Housing Scheme had been paid either by Aloysius or the Walt and Row firm.

Based on the aforesaid submissions, the CID has named Karunanayake for having allegedly provided false evidence before the PCol and they will need to record statements in this connection from Karunanayake, Mela Karunanayake, Onela Karunanayake, B.J.R. Karunanayake, Aloysius and Attorney Sumathipala Udugamsuriya.

The CID told the Court that besides the aforesaid persons they will also need to peruse if there had been phone connections to the workplaces of Neil de Silva, Don Gallage and Anika Wijesuriya from
1 January, 2015 to 2 August last year.

The CID also requested the Court to issue an order to the Global Transportation and Logistics firm to release details of their transactions and details of its Director Board from 1 January, 2015 to 2 August, last year to the CID.

The Colombo Fort Chief Magistrate granted approval for each of the requests and ordered the prosecution to file a progress report on the case when it is next heard on 28 September.

(Source: Ceylon Today – By Kavindya Perera)