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Thursday, October 3, 2024

Sajin Vaas Can be Indicted for Misuse of State Property: CID

( Sajin Vas taken to remand prison)

The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) has reported to courts that action could be filed against former MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena again for misuse of State property. The CID in a report filed in courts said they had recorded statements of 30 persons related to their investigation.

The CID arrested Mr Gunawardena on May 11, on charges of misusing 22 State vehicles belonging to the Presidential Secretariat. The CID reported to the Fort Magistrates Court that, according to the complaint lodged by the Acting Transport Officer of the Presidential Secretariat, 22 out of 958 vehicles including 4 unregistered Jeeps belonging to the Presidential Secretariat were missing, which may have been used by Mr Gunawardena from 2005 to January 2015.

The CID reported that two Toyota Hilux cabs were used by officials of a private company owned by Mr. Gunawardena. They also reported that the CEO of that company, who used a cab, has been arrested and produced before Court. Former Secretary to the President, Lalith Weeratunga said in his statement to the CID that, Mr. Gunawardena, as a Coordinating Secretary to the President, was entitled to only one vehicle from the Presidential Secretariat. Making use of more vehicles and allocating them for personal benefit are unlawful.

An LOLC Manager in a statement to the CID said that the Presidential Secretariat had leased 78 vehicles from LOLC for which former MP Gunawardena was the go-between. An Army soldier who was a driver for Mr. Gunawardena in his statement to the CID said that Mr. Gunawardena changed the color of a Defender without permission of the authorities. He also said that one of the Defenders met with an accident on Parliament Road in 2014. At the moment the Defender has a forged number plate.

Mr. Gunawardena is still in remand custody as his bail application to the Colombo High Court earlier was rejected. Mr. Gunawardena will be produced again before the Fort Magistrate on Tuesday.

SL

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