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Sakvithi scam:
Judge reserves order in two bail applications
Sarath MALALASEKERA
Nugegoda Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Wasantha
Jinadasa reserved the order in two bail applications by two suspects,
Inspector Eric Pushpakumara and Rohitha Abeyratne, in the "Sakvithi
scam' for May 20.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probing the massive
financial racket alleged to have been carried out by the "Sakvithi
Ranasinghe Construction Company" took 18 suspects into custody,
including the two suspects Rohitha Abeyratne of Polonnaruwa and
Inspector Pushpakumara.
Senior Defence Counsel Upali Senaratne moving for bail submitted to
court that his client Rohitha Abeyratne is from Matale and went to
Polonnaruwa as the agent of Sakvithi Ranasinghe in order to distribute
cassettes and videos containing English language lessons.
On the direction of Sakvithi his client took Sakvithi's wife and
children to India. On his return from India he found that Sakvithi's
business empire had collapsed. Since he too had deposited Rs.400,000, he
immediately went to the Mirihana Police and lodged a complaint that
Sakvithi's wife and children had gone to India.
Senior Counsel Senaratne further submitted that his client was never
arrested by the CID, but on his own he surrendered to the Police.
Senior Defence Counsel Senaratne thanked Court for taking effective
steps to quell the disturbances that would have irrupted if not for
timely action taken by the Court. "My client's bail application pending
before the Colombo High Court will come up on May 4," Senior Defence
Counsel Senaratne said.
Attorney at Law Gihan Kodagoda, Senior Counsel for Inspector
Pushpakumara, said that he is also associating with Senior Defence
Counsel Senaratne submissions and moved court to grant bail for his
client.
Senior Defence Counsel Upali Senaratne with Attorneys Chandana
Kalansooriya, Nadeeka Kalubovila and Mayomi Ranawake appeared for
Rohitha Abeyratne. The case will be called again before the Nugegoda
Magistrate's Court on May 20.
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