Ex-President of ‘Parents of Disappeared Persons’on the mat

Sandasen Marasinghe

COLOMBO: A case has been filed against the former president of the Organisation of Parents of Disappeared Persons alleging that he had misappropriated funds donated to the organisation by two overseas agencies.

The case was filed against Habaragamuwa Ralalage Chandra Pieris of Walavewatta, Anguruwella, Ruwanwella before the Colombo High Court alleging that he misused a van, computers and other office equipment worth of Rs 13,64,500 on August 30, 2002.

The Organisation was established on April 20, 1990 with the objective of agitating against the disappearances of persons engineered by State or non-state organisations since 1989 and it has a membership of over 30,000.

According to the statement made by Chandra Pieris to the Criminal Investigation Department the organisation had been funded by the Meewa organisation of the Netherlands and the Capode Organisation of England.

According to the statement made by Chandra Pieris to the CID, he had bought the van (250-2441) for his personal use with the money sent by the Meewa Organisation to buy vehicles for the use of the organisation.

He had later sold the van and used the money for his personal purposes.