 Return to LNP
|
|
S.B. amassed Rs 48 million as Minister and MP: Bribery Commission
Tuesday, 28 June 2005 - 3:26 AM SL Time
|
|
|
Jailed former Samurdhi Minister S. B. Dissanayake had amassed Rs. 48 million while he was serving as a Minister and a Member of Parliament, stated the Bribery Commission, opening the bribery trial against the former Minster before the Colombo High Court yesterday.
Opening the case, Deputy Director General (DDG), of the Commission to Investigate into the Allegation of Bribery or Corruption, Ms. Mallika Liyanage said this before Colombo High Court Judge Ms. Rohini Perera yesterday.
The Bribery Commission stated to court that this was disclosed when investigations were conducted into the assets, deposits in the bank, construction of houses, cost of foreign travels and his other expenditure and his sources of income during his tenure as Minster and MP.
In this case the Bribery Commission had indicted S. B. Dissanayake with not being able to account for his assets, including money and property amounting to Rs. 48 million, during the period March 31, 1995 to September 30, 2001.
According to the indictment, Mr. Dissanayake was charged under the Bribery Act for accumulating assets which he could not have collected from his official salary and known income.
The assets included Rs. 22,166,120 he had in different banks, Union Bank and Bank of Ceylon, the money he had spent for foreign tours, money spent on election and money spent on the family. The property valued at Rs 26,167,000 which Mr. Dissanayake had collected, included lands in Jambugasmulla, Nugegoda, Udugama, Rs. 20,344,890 worth house he had built in Madanwela in Hanguranketa, furniture and vehicle.
Mr. Dissanayake who was arrested by the Bribery Commission on November 10, 2004, was granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate's Court. He was released on Rs. 25,000 cash bail and personal bail of Rs. 100,000 with two sureties.
Following the address, the first witness Inspector A. K. Chandrapala, attached to the Commission who had conducted the investigation against the former Minister, gave evidence led by the Deputy Director General of Commission, Ms. Mallika Liyanage.
The police officer said on information received, he conducted a secret investigation and forwarded a report to the commission. Later, on instructions, he had recorded a statement from Mr Dissanayake. The witness had conducted investigations on the house built in Hanguranketa and acquisition of 12 perches land in Jambugasmulla and a house and a land in Nawala, which was obtained in a deed of gift in the name of Thamara Dissanayake, the wife of the accused.
He had collected information from the accounts in Union Bank, parliamentary bank branch and Bank of Ceylon, Nugegoda, under Mr Dissanayake's name. Giving evidence into the bank deposits belonging to the former Minister, the witness said according to the bank statement obtained from the Chief Legal Officer at the Union Bank under account number 390000016 there was a deposit of Rs. 1,500,000 as at March 31, 1997. This money was not there on March 2001 and the witness had found that the accused had maintained a standing order. Mr Dissanayake had also maintained a fixed deposit account at the same bank. The accused had deposited Rs. 150,000 on March 10, 1997 and Rs. 1,000,000 on April 21, 1997.
The investigation had revealed that the former Minister had also invested money in the share market. During the period April 21, 1997 to May 20, 1998 the accused had invested Rs. 3,412,280 in the share market.
Continuing the evidence the police officer said Mr Dissanayake also had been granted loans from People's Bank of Rs. 1,500,000 and Rs 500,000 on January 5, 2000 and October 4, 2002. The accused had later paid Rs. 776,186 and later settled the loan.
The witness also said that investigations conducted into foreign tours made by the accused, from March 31, 1995 to September 30, 2001, revealed that the former Minster had spent Rs. 817,000 on his private foreign tours alone.
According to an affidavit forwarded by the accused, he had spent Rs. 2,340,000 as living expenses.
The witness also noted that according to his investigations Mr Dissanayake had spent Rs. 1,200,000 for the General election 1994.
At this stage Ms. Liyanage requested an adjournment of the trial as certain affidavits produced by the accused were not available. The trial was adjourned for today.
DDG, Ms. Mallika Liyanage with Assistant Directors (Legal) Ms. Lasanthi Wijeywardena and Asitha Anthony appeared for the Bribery Commission.
Mr. Ananda Wijesekara P.C. with Dulinda Weerasuriya appeared for S. B. Dissanayake.
|
|
|
jay-r
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 827
Member Profile
|
27 Jun 2005 20:46:39 GMT Report for Abuse
|
This is retributon for ROBBING the public funds.
HOW EVER, what about the other politicos?Whay not investigate the the assets before becomming a MP or a Minister and as at present of all the ruling and oposition members.It is very shamefull to mention that in a poor country like Sri Lanka,many of these SHAMELESS Politicians, become more and more FAT after becomming MPs and their wealth increases in several magnitudes,enjoy all the perks at the expense of he poor massess.SO PL INVESTIGATE THE ASSETS OF ALL. |
akithya2005
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 57
Member Profile
|
27 Jun 2005 21:36:46 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Loting innocent people's money
these guys to be hang on public or through to the strees and ask people to do any thing they wanted.
Norwaegion Deputy foreign Minister also a human like this Minister.Thats why he is supporting to LTTE and get bunch of Dollars from them.
I guess no differance of CBK and others also |
Gamma
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 358
Member Profile
|
28 Jun 2005 03:53:29 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| This is a very good example of the behavior of the politicians of the two main political parties in Sri Lanka. How ever robbing people like this started after 1977. Unfortunately there are other politicians also accused for robbing people?s money. How about the infamous roof sheet robbery? How can UNP is going to bring prosperity to the people of Sri Lanka with these kind of people. Die-Hard UNP people like Anizam are blind on these big issues. I hope he is enjoying his annual summer vacation in Sri Lanka with out the help of these kinds of robbers. |
Gamma
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 358
Member Profile
|
28 Jun 2005 04:14:29 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| SB, for 6 years, Rs 48 Million. Hmmm...not bad. Poor 18 miliion people of Sri Lanka. Three rupees from a single person. Simple math. Readers please think about the other politicians who robbed money like this after 1948. What shall we do? |
radaw
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 589
Member Profile
|
28 Jun 2005 04:35:17 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| Rohan Wejeweera was accused of living a luxurious life from the money JVP stolen and Somawansa Amarasinghe was also implicated in JVP gold scandal. These thing have to be taken into account too. |
Rainbow
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3
Member Profile
|
28 Jun 2005 06:35:44 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| S.B. is wrong, but, how about so many other politicians??? why single out only SB?????. SB's trial will be only fair if the other are brought to the book too. |
Rainbow
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3
Member Profile
|
28 Jun 2005 06:39:32 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| SB's amassing of wealth is mostly while he was under the Madam Chandrika's government and as a Minister under her. Why it takes so long to charge him?, Sure madam is also aware of his activities while he was one of her closest allies. |
muniraj16
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1220
Member Profile
|
28 Jun 2005 06:53:54 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Come on radaw be sensible buddy what can we do to the people who are amoung the dead...
People like SB should be sentenced to serve the life time in prison...yeah what about the other politicians like Nimal siripala, Ravi K, Jayalath J,Rafitha S and others who smuggled public money....i m bit puzzled,,,, why these people were saved from a natural desaster like tsunami????nature should punish these robbers if the govt doesn't do their part...
chao... |
muniraj16
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1220
Member Profile
|
28 Jun 2005 06:57:00 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Sorry i forgot to CBKs name in the greatest robbers list.....one of the greatest cheaters of the Nation...
chao... |
muniraj16
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1220
Member Profile
|
28 Jun 2005 10:07:07 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Yeah kadiya I also have heard that from my parents?but there are so many rumours all around about how CBK took commission from various foreign companies....though one can not trust those, considering most of her single handed decisions...we sense that there is some thing fishy going on?.
On the other hand though her pedigree is of high quality ...the past has demonstrated that she has deviated from it in many instances?..and to my knowledge non of the bandaranayakes has lied as CBK...and all of them had a great respect for the mahasanga...so we no longer can consider her as a true bandaranayake ....
chao... |
|
