Police informed the Mt. Lavinia Magistrate’s Court on Friday that two witnesses, including a deputy minister in the new government, have yet to provide statements in the case involving Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe. Despite several attempts, including phone calls and letters, the witnesses have failed to respond.
The Fraud Investigation Bureau (FIB) is probing allegations that Minister Samarasinghe used a forged deed to lease a two-storey property in Dehiwala, owned by the National Workers Institute, a trade union. The FIB detectives informed the court that they had contacted Deputy Labour Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe, who is also the General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers Service Union, and Ranjan Jayalal, General Secretary of the Ceylon Electricity Board Workers’ Union, requesting them to visit the FIB to provide statements. These statements are crucial as the deed lists both men as having leased the property for Rs. 3.6 million, but they have not responded.
According to the FIB, the property was leased through three tax deeds dated February 10, 2020, by Samarasinghe and Siril Abayasiri to Mr. Jayasinghe and Mr. Jayalal. Maithri Gunaratne, PC, representing the aggrieved party alongside Visal Senanayake, argued that the lease was executed by someone without proper authority within the trade union.
Acting Magistrate Tharanga Silva adjourned the case until December 20 and instructed the police to report on the progress of the investigation on that date.
