Udayanga MiG deal investigators called to court

Lawyers appearing for Sri Lanka’s former ambassador to Russia, U day an ga Weeratunga, told the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court this week that the Criminal Investigation Department ( CID) officer who had previously investigated the MiG aircraft deal had provided false information to court regarding their client.

The lawyers told Magistrate, Ranga Dissanayake, that current investigation reports confirm that Inspector Nihal Francis, who previously investigated, had provided false information in his reports.

The magistrate asked the CID officers in court whether they could answer questions regarding the investigations by Inspector Francis.

The CID officers told the magistrate that they could not answer such questions and as such, Magistrate Dissanayake suggested that they call both Inspector Francis and the Director of the CID to answer the questions.

The magistrate also ordered attorney-at-law Asith Siriwardena, who appeared for Mr Weeratunga along with attorney- at- law Rasanga Harischandra to stop attacking Inspector Francis in court as he was not present to answer the allegations made against him.

Mr Siriwardena told court that the information given by Inspector Francis who investigated the case for five years has now proven to be false. He produced 30 documents before court claiming them to be evidence of this and asked that his client be released on bail.

The CID meanwhile, sought a court warrant to arrest a suspect identified as Nelum Daminda who had allegedly received US$330,000 (about Rs 60.85 million) over the MiG deal.

Magistrate Dissanayake noted that police were seeking a warrant to arrest a suspect who could be taken into custody even without one and asked the CID whether it was “frightened” of the suspects.

The magistrate also informed that the Acting Inspector General of Police had notified court via letter that Inspector Francis’s services can be given to court in the event it is needed to clear up any issues that arise during court proceedings. As such, the magistrate decided that the inspector should be summoned to answer questions that have arisen thus far.

The court further informed Senior State Counsel Udara Karunathilake, who appeared for the Attorney General, to file objections on March 25 regarding the bail application submitted by Mr Weeratunga’s lawyers and further remanded the suspect till March 18.