The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday issued an order impounding the passports of Avant-Garde Maritime Services (Pvt) Ltd Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi and Maj. Gen. Palitha Fernando for allegedly offering and accepting a bribe of Rs. 355 million following the Avant-Garde floating armoury transaction.
When the case came up before Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara, an order was issued preventing the two accused from leaving the country.
They were ordered to surrender their passports before Court.
Meanwhile, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption yesterday filed an amended charge sheet against the two accused over the incident and the case was fixed for trial on April 3.
The two accused were arrested by the Bribery Commission on September 6, 2016 for offering a bribe of Rs. 355 million to Maj. Gen. Fernando by Avant-Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi consequent to the Avant-Garde floating armoury transaction in September 2012. They were ordered to be released on bail after being produced before Court. At a previous occasion, the Colombo Chief Magistrate had ordered the Controller of Immigration and Emigration to permanently lift the travel ban imposed on seven persons including former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Nissanka Senadhipathi, Palitha Fernando and three former Navy Commanders for allegedly causing a Rs. 11.4 billion unlawful loss to the government when giving permission to the Avant-Garde Maritime Services (Pvt) Ltd to operate a floating armoury.
