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Kandy acid throwing incident: Victim gives evidence

by Asela Kuruluwansa and Indika Polkotuwa

"I met the first accused Ananda Munasinghe on the corridor of the Education Office and he asked whether I was the person who came for the audit check. I replied him in the affirmative. He said he wanted to speak to me and as he was one of my teachers, contrary to the norms, I went to his office".

The victim of the Kandy acid throwing incident Audit Officer Lalith Ambanwala said so giving evidence at the Kandy Magistrate's Court when the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, October 8. Mr. Ambanwala gave evidence seated on a chair placed on the dock since he has not fully recovered from his injuries.

Mr. Ambanwala, in his evidence led by state counsel Mohan Seneviratne further said that after qualifying as an audit officer he had worked in Colombo, Anuradhapura, Matale and Kandy, "While I was working at Kandy office in 1991 the second accused Ananda Weerasinghe was the Accountant of the Provincial Health Ministry, and he spoke to me frequently, even over the phone."

"Since January, 2001, I assumed duties as Audit Superintendent of the Kandy Education Office and the second accused was working as chief accountant of the education office since 1995.

On the day of my assuming duties, the first accused met me and told me that he wanted to speak to me. As he had been one of my teachers, I went to his office. There he told me that there are some problems regarding his training sessions and asked me to help him.

"I found a lot of frauds regarding these sessions after scrutinising the documents. According to the statements recorded from teachers they revealed that no training sessions had been actually held. I found some audit reports querying misappropriation of funds."

Abanwala further said that he met the first accused Munasinghe and told him regarding the huge misappropriation of funds. Admitting the fault, Munasinghe revealed that there are 33 others connected to these frauds and I should question them too.

"Later, I submitted an audit query regarding the misappropriation of Rs. 164,000. The second accused has ordered payment of money but they couldn't produce any document in support of these payments".

"On 15.06.2001, Ananda Munasinghe was interdicted, and I learnt that another payment for him was on the way and when questioned chief accountant (2nd accused) said the payment was for a training course. Then I sent for the payment voucher and found it to be a fraudulent document. But later the second accused had paid the money to the first accused. I found the amount paid during 1999, 2001 to be about Rs. 8.5 million."

The Magistrate ordered that the 1st - 5th accused be further remanded till October 28 and to release the 6th and 7th accused on Rs. 50,000 personal bail each.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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