It was a glittering offer, but high value false cheques were given for gold
CID submits more evidence regarding charges against Thico Construction Company and co-directors Thilini Priyamali and Kasun Harshana Perera
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has uncovered further details in its investigations regarding Thilini Priyamali and her close associates who are accused of swindling money from the people.
Detectives informed courts that among the evidence their investigations have come up with was the issue of invalid cheques for a value of US$ 60,000 and AUD 100,000.
This followed a complaint lodged in July this year by Abdul Hassan Kamal Hassan, a resident of Malabe.
Court was informed that a residence at Hapana in Pilimathalawa was searched and during the search, eight bars of gold were found. They were 9.5cm and 9.2cm in length, 5cm and 5.2cm wide and 2.5cm in height.
According to the investigation carried out after obtaining a search warrant, the second suspect Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Isuru Shammika Bandara had gone to the Pilimathalawa residence in a jeep and handed over ten bars of gold to his father Hapana Pallegedara Anurudda Pallegedara. He had informed his father that the gold was given to him by Thilini and therefore it had to be protected.
A month later, two gold bars were handed back to Isuru Bandara at Kiribathgoda in compliance with Isuru’s request.
The bars of gold were inspected by investigation officers and all of them weighed 08.110 kg with a total value of Rs 100 million. Further investigations on the matter are underway. Court was to send the bars of gold to
the Gem and Jewellery Authority for a report.
The CID also submitted to court details regarding the suspects Isuru Shammika Bandara, Kasun Harshana Perera and two others based on the complaint of obtaining a kilo of gold from the Thico company.
A statement had been recorded from Kasun Harshana Perera on August 30. In that statement he had said he was only an employee at Thilini’s company and he did not take part in these transactions.
He had admitted that he had worked with Thilini as a director at Thico Construction Company. Apart from that he had said that Thilini had deposited money to his personal Sampath Bank account.
According to investigations, it was revealed the kilo of gold mentioned above was sold to Thaleiyya Mohan and Mohomad Daalan from the Ja Ela area by direct intervention of Kasun Harshana Perera.
Therefore, all people who were present when the kilo of gold was sold could be identified, said the investigators. Mohomad Daalan is now abroad.
The questionable gold which was obtained from the complainant, by the owner of Thico Construction Company Thilini Priyamali was handed over to Thaleiyya Mohan owner of the Sri Muruga Jewellery shop at the address 18, Station Road, Ja Ela. The investigation regarding that too was carried out.
When inspecting the Sri Muruga Jewellery shop, 40 sovereigns of gold and Rs three million cash were found, the CID officers told court.
Among the gold items found were 18 chains, three bracelets, 60 earrings with stones, 25 women’s pendants, 12 anchor pendants, 11 golden stone pendants, 12 dharmachakra pendants, 12 sura pendants, 24 panchayuda and 70 stoned women’s rings. The items together with 600 Rs 5000 notes found at the shop are held under the custody of the officers investigating the incident.
Thaleiyya Mohan was arrested and produced in court. Investigations were carried out within the company building to clarify the connection between Kasun Harshana Perera and Thilini Priyamali. In that investigation following evidence was revealed:
Thico Construction Pvt Ltd is registered under Number PV00214372. The current directors of the company are Waduwaarage Thilini Priyamali and Kasun Harshana Perera. They have operated through an account at Sampath Bank. Kasun Harshana Perera was arrested and produced before the court.
Chief Inspector Niroshani Hewa Pathirana, the officer in charge of the Financial Crimes Investigation Division of the CID, had filed the report to court.