Case filed against Cader for alleged fraud

Sandasen Marasinghe

COLOMBO: A case has been filed against UNP Parliamentarian and former Minister Abdul Cader before the Colombo High Court on six counts including misappropriating Rs one million of state funds.

The case was filed against Abdul Cader and M. S. Mohamed Fahim. According to the charges Abdul Cader forwarded two fraudulently drafted documents as ‘quoted prices’ issued by Taj Mahal Stores and New Ratnasiri Stores in Gampola to the Secretary of the Samurdhi, Social and Development Trust Fund Priyantha Pathirana Abeysekara on November 17, 2003. Fahim was charged for aiding and abetting Abdul Cader to forward forged documents. Cader was also charged for misappropriating state funds.

According to Police statement Cader forwarded a letter to former Samurdhi Minister S. B. Dissanayake requesting payment from the Samurdhi Social Development Trust Fund of Rs one million to provide 690 bags of samba rice to distribute at certain Mosques during Ramazan month.

As a result a cheque had been forwarded to Mahajana Stores, Gampola but the mosques received less rice while certain mosques did not receive any and thereby misappropriated state funds.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Additional District Judge Sarojini Kusala Weerawardana ordered yesterday the suspects to appear before the Colombo High Court on June 5.