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Witness admits giving false evidence : Multivision Director acquitted

by Sarath Malalasekera

The Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge A. A. R. Heiyanthuduwa acquitted a leading businesswoman in Colombo when State Counsel Rohantha Abeysuriya representing the Attorney General informed court that he is not proceeding with the case against the businesswoman considering the admission of three key prosecution witnesses that they had lied under oath.

Businesswoman Sahida Hettiarachchi, Director of the Ruhuna Multivision and several other private sector companies in Colombo was charged by the Interpol Division of the CID under the Immigration and Emigration Act.

Acquitting the businesswoman, the Judge observed that the evidence led before court was highly unsatisfactory and insufficient to prove the charges against her.

Due to these circumstances the case could not be proceeded with any further. Therefore, taking into consideration the submissions made by the Attorney General she stands discharged and acquitted from the proceedings, the Judge added.

Earlier, State Counsel Rohantha Abeysuriya brought to the notice of the court that all three prosecution witnesses had admitted that they gave false evidence on oath before Court. Some of the prosecution witnesses had admitted that they had even made false statements to the CID too, the State Counsel informed the Judge.

The main witness Kumudu Sanjeevani admitted to court under cross-examination by President's Counsel Daya Perera that she had given false evidence to court. She admitted that she had given an Affidavit to the Attorney General while in remand custody requesting the Attorney General to deal with her under Section 464 of the Penal Code for making and being in possession of a false passport. She stated that she was concerned in getting out of the predicament she was placed in and being bailed out from remand.

On an earlier occasion too after the first witness gave evidence, the Chief Magistrate adjourned proceedings for the State Counsel to contact his superiors as to whether he wished to continue with the proceedings in view of the serious infirmities in the evidence of the prosecutions main witness.

President's Counsel Daya Perera with Indra Ladduwahetty instructed by Mahinda Jayawardena appeared for the businesswoman.

State Counsel R. Abeysuriya with the CID appeared for the prosecution.

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