Shashi Welgama granted bail

Former SLTB chairman, Shashi Welgama, who was in remand for the Rs.125 million misappropriation that took place at the SLTB, was granted bail on Rupees two hundred thousand cash and on two sureties for rupees five million on each of the surety by the Colombo High Court yesterday. High Court Judge A.A.R. Heiyantuduwa also restrained the foreign travel of the suspect without courts sanction. A spare parts supplier to the SLTB, Nandana Priyantha and Sashi Welgama were arrested by the CID in connection with isappropriation that took place at the SLTB, were remanded by Colombo Magistrate Aruni Attygalle. Counsel Kalinga Indatissa PC supported the revision application against the Magistrate’s order in the Colombo High Court during the inquiry into the application.

According to the prosecution the first suspect, Nandana Priyantha was a supplier to the SLTB and had been given tenders respectively in 2010 and 2012 to supply spare parts to the SLTB. However, he had not supplied spare parts equally to the advance payments made to him by the SLTB.

The CID alleged that the first suspect had submitted forged documents on three occasions to the SLTB requesting for payments according to the procurement procedures fraudulently.

The prosecution said the second suspect, Shashi Welgama the then chairman of the SLTB had fraudulently recommended the forged documents provided by the supplier to the Finance Department of the SLTB by approving them.