US to indict Lanka's former ambassador

The US Department of Justice is moving to indict former Sri Lankan Ambassador Jaliya Wickremesuriya on money laundering charges, an authoritative source said.

"There is a move based on a probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and approved by a grand jury to indict Jaliya Wickramasuriya,” he said.

Diplomatic immunity granted to Mr Wickramasuriya during his tenure as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Washington was waived by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, clearing the path for the indictment. The lifting of immunity was done at the request of the US authorities on the basis of a prima facie case against him.

“The immunity of any diplomat can be lifted by a Government at any time,” said a diplomatic source.

Mr Wickramasuriya filed a writ petition in Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal challenging the removal of immunity but it was dismissed on March 29 this year. He has now filed a Fundamental Rights case in the Supreme Court on the same issue.

There is also an open warrant for Mr Wickramasuriya’s arrest. It was issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate after he failed to appear in court. The Financial Crimes Investigation Division has reported to court that he has allegedly misappropriated US$ 33,000 out of US$ 6.6 million allocated to buy a building for the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington. He is said to have remitted the money to Sri Lanka.