Chairman discharged: Insufficient evidence

by Sarath Malalasekera

The Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District Judge Sarath C. Karunaratne discharged former Chairman of Rubber Manufacturing Corporation Sarath Wickremasinghe on the direction of the Attorney General that no charges could be framed against him, as there is insufficient evidence against him.

In July 2002 on a complaint by the then Secretary Ministry of Plantation Industries, the CID arrested and remanded the former chairman, the senior accountant and a factory officer attached to Dodangoda factory for the alleged misuse of funds to the value of Rs. 541 million out of Rs. 900 million released by the Treasury to put up seven new rubber factories in the major rubber growing areas in Sri Lanka, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Kalutara and Galle.

After perusing the relevant case against the chairman Sarath Wickremasinghe, the Attorney General had informed the Court to discharge him as there was insufficient evidence against the chairman.

The case against the other two accused, former accountant Nanda Delduwa and former factory officer U. Munasinghe attached to the Dodangoda factory will be called on August 3, 2005.

President's Counsel D. P. Kumarasinghe with Ms. Swineetha Nanayakkara, Ms. C. Warnasinghe, Jayantha Dias Nanayakkara and Prasanna Weerasuriya appeared for Sarath Wickremasinghe.