Mount Lavinia Magistrate slams Colombo Fraud Bureau for premature actions in case involving Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe. Read the latest update.
Mount Lavinia Magistrate A.D. Chathurika De Silva has strongly criticized officials of the Colombo Fraud Bureau (CFB) for prematurely forwarding extracts of the case involving Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe to the Attorney General (AG) before completing their investigation.
The case concerns a property belonging to the National Workers’ Institute, allegedly leased for Rs. 3.6 million by Minister Samarasinghe and others who reportedly posed as officials of the National Workers’ Congress (NWC) union.
Magistrate’s Concerns
During Friday’s hearing, Magistrate De Silva questioned the police on why the incomplete file had been hastily sent to the AG. She warned that such actions could delay judicial proceedings and stressed that the AG’s advice should only be sought once the investigation is fully concluded.
The magistrate also inquired about the ownership of the building in question. Police confirmed that the property did not belong to Minister Samarasinghe. They added that, in his statement, Samarasinghe claimed he had acted according to a 2020 trade union general meeting decision and that funds from the lease had been used for union-related purposes.
Progress of the Investigation
Police reported that statements had been recorded from all individuals connected to the matter, including:
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Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe – on August 21 at the Fraud Bureau.
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Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe – on August 14.
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Kaduwela Mayor Ranjan Jayalal – on August 14.
Despite these developments, the aggrieved party’s legal representatives argued that police were attempting to stall the case.
Accusations of Delay
Appearing for the complainants, President’s Counsel Maithri Gunaratne, assisted by Attorney-at-Law Kisal Senanayake, accused the CFB of deliberately forwarding the file to the AG to delay proceedings. He argued that police had already admitted in court that a crime had been committed and noted that the court had previously ordered the suspects to be arrested and produced before the bench.
Gunaratne further stated that, since a lawful group of union office bearers was already in place, Minister Samarasinghe’s alleged act of fraudulently presenting himself as a union official to lease the building amounted to a serious offense.
Next Steps
Magistrate De Silva postponed her ruling on the complainants’ request to name Minister Samarasinghe and others as suspects until September 26. She noted that she will soon be transferred to another court and that her successor will issue the final order.
The magistrate also clarified that no external pressure had been applied in relation to the complaint, assuring transparency in the judicial process.
FAQs
1. What is the case against Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe about?
The case involves allegations that Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe and others fraudulently leased a building belonging to the National Workers’ Institute for Rs. 3.6 million while posing as officials of the National Workers’ Congress union.
2. Why did the court reprimand the police?
Mount Lavinia Magistrate A.D. Chathurika De Silva reprimanded the Colombo Fraud Bureau (CFB) for forwarding extracts of the case to the Attorney General before completing the investigation, warning it could delay proceedings.
3. Has Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe been named as a suspect?
Not yet. The magistrate postponed the decision on naming Minister Samarasinghe and others as suspects until September 26, when the new magistrate takes over the case.
4. What has Minister Samarasinghe said in his defense?
In his police statement, Minister Samarasinghe claimed that he acted according to a decision taken at the trade union’s general meeting in 2020 and that the money from the lease was used for union activities.
5. What happens next in the case?
The next hearing is scheduled for September 26, where the new magistrate will decide whether Minister Samarasinghe and others should be officially named as suspects in the case.