CID TAKES RAVI TO COURT
IT ALLEGES THAT HE LIED TO THE BOND COMMISSION
The CID yesterday filed a case in the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court naming former minister Ravi Karunanayake as a suspect alleging that he had given false testimony during the Bond Commission inquiry on August 2, 2017.
Senior State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama appearing for the prosecution informed Court that the CID had initiated this criminal action under the direction of the Attorney General, who had instructed the CID to begin criminal actions against Ravi Karunanayake, Steve Samuels (Aloysius’ personal assistant), Kasun Palisena and B.J.R. Sinnaih (Chief Finance Officer of Global Transportation & Logistics Pvt. Ltd) for giving false evidence at the inquiry by the Bond Commission.
Counsel Girihagama said when former minister Karunanayake was questioned during his testimony at the inquiry, he had intentionally given false evidence committing the offence of perjury.
The prosecution lists five questions to which Mr. Karunanayake had lied during his evidence.
■whe■ he was asked whether he had any connection or relationship to Arjun Aloysius, the former minister had answered ‘no’.
■whe■ questioned whether he had inquired from Vijith Wijesuriya (Anika Wijesuriya’s brother) about the Penthouse residence, his answer was also ‘No’.
■whe■ questioned whether he was aware of the fact that his Penthouse rental was paid by Walt & Row, a company owned by Arjun Aloysius, he had said he ‘knew nothing about it’. The prosecution said it was a lie because there was sufficient evidence to prove that he was aware about the Penthouse deal.
■the prosecution noted that Mr. Karunanyake had lied when he said he was unaware of the payment of Rs.12.5 million made by Walt & Row on his behalf towards the rental of the Penthouse, in which he and his family resided.
■the prosecution stated that he had lied when he said he had not received any text messages from one Neil de Silva.
The CID also informed Court that it expected to record statements from former minister Ravi Karunanayake, his wife Mela and his daughter Onella, Arjun Aloysius and B.J.R. Sinnaih in connection with the inquiry.
Chief Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake acceding to the prosecution’s request had directed several mobile service providers to provide the required details on the mobile numbers that the CID required to proceed with the inquiry.
The Magistrate allowed the prosecution to obtain bank statements of Global Transportation & Logistics Pvt. Ltd., the ownership of which is linked to Mr. Karunanayake.
The Secretary of Global Transportation & Logistics Pvt (GTL) was also directed to provide documents relating to details of its Directors and their decisions.
The Magistrate also directed him to provide the inventory of the company safe to the CID.
Walt & Row company was also directed to provide the CID with details relating to the transactions it had with Mr. Karunanayake or his family members or Global Transportation & Logistics Pvt Ltd. The CID levelled allegations against Mr. Karunanayake under Section 188 (giving false evidence) of the Penal Code with Section 190 (punishment for giving false evidence), which states that “Whoever intentionally gives false evidence in any stage of a judicial proceeding, or fabricates false evidence for the purpose of being used in any stage of a judicial proceeding, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine”. The magisterial inquiry was put off for September 28.