The Colombo Fraud Bureau officials were severely criticized by Mount Lavinia Magistrate A. D. Chathurika de Silva for sending the case summaries to the Attorney General before the investigation into a case involving Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe, Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe and Kaduwela Magistrate Ranjan Jayalal was completed.
The case has been filed in connection with an incident of fraudulent leasing of a building belonging to the National Workers’ Institutions Trust for Rs. 3.6 million. It has been alleged that a group of individuals including Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe have falsely posed as officials of the National Workers’ Congress trade union.
The magistrate, who questioned the urgency of sending an incomplete file, pointed out that such actions are likely to further delay the case. When asked about the progress of the investigation, the Fraud Bureau informed the court that the file had been referred to the Attorney General for legal advice. The Magistrate then instructed that the Attorney General be consulted only after the investigation is completed.
The police informed the court in a further report last Friday that statements had been taken from all persons involved in the incident. Accordingly, a statement was recorded from Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe on August 21 at the Fraud Bureau premises. Earlier, statements in this regard had been taken from Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe and Kaduwela Mayor Ranjan Jayalal on August 14.
The Magistrate adjourned until September 26 the order on the request made by the aggrieved party to name Wasantha Samarasinghe and others as suspects in the case.
She stated that since she was to be transferred to another court, the order would be given by the newly appointed Magistrate. She also emphasized that she has not been pressured in relation to this particular complaint.