HC Judge seeks Interpol help to issue warrant on two accused
 

by Sandasen Marasinghe

Colombo High Court Judge Upali Abeyratne yesterday sought Interpol assistance to issue warrant on Rohan Perera, former Chairman of the Pramuka Bank and Ahamed Efthika Waahid to arrest and produce in Court following a motion filed by Senior State Counsel Yasantha Kodagoda, with regard to an alleged aiding and abetting for fraudulent drawing drafts and then smuggling foreign exchange amounting to a sum of nearly US $ 200 million out of the country.

Ahamed Efthika Waahid, Mohamed Fareed Niyas Fuard, Chandrange Rohan Sujendra Perera, John Peter Redley Silva and Ahamed Riswan Qualid were indicted with 246 for conspiring to draw drafts and then smuggle the foreign exchange out of the country.

Ahamed Efthika Waahid is indicted for smuggling foreign exchange in Dubai between April 19, 1996 and September 27, 1996 and the latter four in aiding and abetting in doing so. Senior State Counsel Yasantha Kodagoda pleaded the Court through a motion to issue fresh warrant prepared in English addressed to the director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) enabling him to request assistance of Interpol and other relevant foreign law enforcement authorities in the execution of the warrant.

The Senior State Counsel also requested through the motion to issue notice on the secretary and the Managing Director of the Seylan Bank Limited to produce the relevant documents. Further the Senior State Counsel Yasantha Kodagoda pleaded to issue notice on Director General of the Customs to produce all documents collected by the Custom department from the first accused.

The CID brought to the notice of the Court earlier that the two accused had left the country. The case will be heard on July 08.