The Embilipitiya Magistrate Court released Embilipitiya ASP DWC Dharmarathna, who was in remand custody over the death of a youth, on bail today.
Earlier, the former ASP was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on February 02 in connection with the death of a youth in Embilipitiya. The former ASP was summoned by the CID to record a statement and was arrested thereafter.
Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena was evacuated Wednesday night from a fire at a luxury beach hotel minutes after presiding over its opening ceremony, an official said.
Sparks from fireworks hit a straw-roofed beach hut at the 300-room Shangri-La following the ribbon-cutting and triggered the fire at the hotel in Hambantota in the country's deep south, president's spokesman Dharmasri Bandara said.
"The president had just walked back to the hotel while the fireworks display was still on," Bandara told AFP. "He immediately left the hotel, but a fire truck from the president's convoy stayed back to put out the fire."
Local journalist Easwaran Rutnam, who was covering the hotel's opening, said the president was about 50 metres from the hut that was gutted by the fire.
"It took about an hour for the fire to be extinguished, but it did not spread to the main hotel building," Rutnam told AFP. He said the president was seen being escorted out of the premises.
There was no immediate comment from the hotel located about 240 kilometres (150 miles) south of the capital Colombo.
A local police officer said no one was injured during the incident, but an investigation had been launched.
There had been several breaches of security at functions attended by President Sirisena who came to power in January last year. He has dispensed with much of the tight security accorded to his predecessors.
Australian Businessman Brian Shadick’s Power of Attorney Lasitha Perera yesterday revealed a forged statutory declaration allegedly prepared by Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader and MP Udaya Gammanpila to be presented to court during the hearing of Australian Businessman Brian Shadick’s case.
Perera said that the handwriting in the statutory declaration is that of Gammanpila’s which is said to be prepared by Rosemary Smith, an Australian. According to the statutory declaration Rosemary Smith had affirmed that she had recognised her signature and handwriting in the Power of Attorney dated 1997 April 18 which had been given to Udaya Prabath Gammanpila by Digital Nominees Company.
Smith had also affirmed that she witnessed the signatures of Brian Shaddick and Janet Shaddick in the Power of Attorney along with Judith Dawes on the request of Brian Shaddick.
Further,Smith had affirmed that when the document was signed she had been the secretary/book keeper and Judith Dawes had been the receptionist of the Perth Metal Company of which Brian Shaddick was the Managing Director.
However during a media briefing that was held yesterday at the Library Services and Documentation Board, Perera claimed that the statutory declaration had not been prepared by the so called Rosemary Smith. He alleged that it had been prepared by Gammanpila with the intention of misleading the court.
“Gammanpila has his own special way of writing.You too will witness it if you go through *the letters he had sent to the Department of Registrar of Companies.We sent this document for further investigations. We believe that this document had been prepared by him and the signature in the
document is also forged” Perera said.
Earlier,Lasitha Perera accusded Gammanpila for transferring 4.1 million shares of Pan Asia Bank which is an affiliate of Digital Nominees Company using a Forged Power of Attorney.
The 4.1 million shares which is of 110 million in value solely belonging to Shadick and his family had been fraudulently sold to Vanik Incorporation PLC and Dhammika Perera by Gammanpila. Gammanpila’s wife Dinesha Gammanpila had signed as a witness for the transactions that had taken place,according to Perera.
“It is a huge injustice done to the aggrieved party and the investors as the Attorney General’s Department had delayed to take further steps although the Police Special Investigation Unit had concluded the investigations pertaining to this matter. “ he added while requesting further steps taken by the Attorney General Department into the alleged financial fraud committed by Gammanpila against Australian businessman, Brian Shaddick, be expedited.
Perera also noted that Gammanpila had been silent so far and challenged Gammanpila for an open debate on these allegations.
“We were not in a state to make these revelations during the past regime as we did not take our lives for granted.Now we have got the opportunity to voice out these actions of injustice.Therfore, I challenge Gammanpila to file a case against me If I have made any false allegations “ Perera said.
Former ODI No.1 spot holder Nuwan Kulasekara has announced his retirement from Test Cricket with immediate effect.
In a letter addressed to SLC, Kulasekera says,
“I would like to retire from playing Test cricket with immediate effect. After much thought I believe it is the right time to retire and I hope it will allow me to better prepare for ODI and T20 cricket, which I would like to continue playing for Sri Lanka subject to good performance and selection”
The former strike bowler with 48 test wickets to his name and best innings figures of 4/21, was ranked the ICC ODI No1 bowler in March 2009 after a 47 wicket haul in the preceding eleven months. His prowess is an integral part of the Sri Lankan bowling arsenal, and Sri Lanka Cricket wishes him many more wickets to come!
Sri Lanka fast bowler Shaminda Eranga has been reported for a suspect bowling action following the 2nd Test against England.
The match officials’ report, which was handed over to the Sri Lanka team management, cited concerns about the legality of the 29-year-old’s bowling action.
Eranga’s bowling action will now be scrutinized further under the ICC process relating to suspected illegal bowling actions reported in Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
He is required to undergo testing within 14 days, and, during this period, Eranga is permitted to continue bowling in international cricket until the results of the testing are known.
Japan is keen to assist Sri Lanka in its development due to country’s new political and economic reforms created by the present government, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said.
He said this is why Japan pledged a Yen 44 billion loan to Sri Lanka for various development projects.
Minister Karunanayake made these remarks at a media briefing in Colombo today.
Japan is also considering a Sakura bond issue to give US$ 1.2 billion at a low interest rates.
President Maithripala Sirisena also requested the Japanese Prime Minister to provide Sri Lanka with liquid natural gas instead of coal and this proposal is also under consideration. This assistance will be used for mega development projects including monorail instead of construction of houses and roads, other infrastructure facilities and welfare projects, he said.
“We have to repay the debts that the Rajapaksa regime took. We first must get out of the debt trap created by taking massive loans. Otherwise, the debt burden could further rise and the economy of the country would be in a trouble. We are getting the loans at very low interest rates and this is the difference between our government and the former regime,” Karunanayake said.
“Moreover the repayment period for the Japanese loan is 40 years and is at a very low interest rate of .01 percent. Today, people have to bear all these debt burden and we expect to save the people from the debt trap by developing this country on a systematic economic plan. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will present this plan by June and it will require least a couple of years for the development to take place,” the minister said.
Minister Karunanayake also said that the expenses for the expressway construction has come down by 21 percent since this government took office.
“This is because we have not received commissions. Even though the previous government spent Rs.10 million, we are now able to reduce the cost for Rs. 8 million. We can further reduce expenses by calling for a tender procedure in the future,” the minister said.
A herd of seven elephants including a tusker pose a danger to motorists along the Kataragama - Buttala Road running through Yala National Park Zone 3 as they are in the habit of blocking the road in anticipation of fruits and other food items to satiate their hunger.
Motorists who offer them food are allowed to pass the area while others who are unaware of this elephant habit have to stop their journey briefly and wait in fear until the pachyderms leave the road and return to the jungle.
On May 28, a three wheeler toppled when a group travelling in it panicked when an elephant blocked the road expecting food causing the death of a 51-year- old mother traveling in it.
One of the elephants named Raja is a harmless animal as it had been domesticated by security forces personnel who manned bunkers in Yala by regularly offering it fruits and food items.
Raja of course is a different disposition and does not pose a threat to passers by.
It is reported that certain SLTB bus drivers manning buses running along this route pet the pachyderms by stopping over and allowing the animals to poke their trunks inside the buses to grab food offered by commuters.
This sometimes drives fear into other commuters who tremble at the sight of the animals.
A wildlife official said this practice of people offering food had made the elephants forget their cumbersome habit of foraging for food in the jungle and look for food the easy way.
Special legislation should be brought to prevent people from offering food items to the elephants on the way.
The Tri-Forces have decided to revoke the decision to ban Eastern Province Chief Minister Nazeer Ahamed from entering any of their camps and not to attend any functions attended by him, the Army Spokesperson said.
The decision has been taken with effect from today (29), Spokesperson Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera said.
The Tri-Forces had earlier decided not to attend any functions attended by the Chief Minister and has prohibited him from entering any of their camps.
The Eastern Province Chief Minister had verbally abused a Navy officer in public at an event held last week during the opening ceremony of a science lab and computer unit at the Sampur Maha Vidyalayam.
US Ambassador Atul Keshap was a guest at the event while Governor of the Eastern Province, Austin Fernando was the Chief Guest. Footage showed the Chief Minister verbally abusing the Navy officer on stage at the event after accusing him of failing to understand protocol.
