Italian with dud notes remanded

Mahinda P Liyanage, Galle Daily News correspondent

An Italian staying at a tourist resort in Hikkaduwa, Galle with his British lover was remanded until April 22 by Galle Additional Magistrate Gunendra Munasinghe when he was prosecuted for the second time by Hikkaduwa Police under section 468(1), 478(A) and 478(C) of the Sri Lanka Criminal Procedure Code for the alleged offence of possessing and using forged foreign currency in transaction during his stay in the country.

The Italian identified as Giuseppe Palumbo, 45, had been remanded since April 5 and was produced before court again last week.

SI Balendra Siha and SI Randil Sanjana of Hikkaduawa Police on a complaint by a tourist restaurant owner of Hikkaduwa, arrested the suspect at his hotel with 10 currency notes on April 5 with the face value of Sterling pounds 20 in his possession.

When the money was produced to the Hikkduwa People’s Bank to ascertain the authenticity of the notes, bank sources said the currency were forged.

The restaurant owner had complained to the police that the tourist had given him 10 currency notes of 20 sterling pounds, in settlement of his bill for meals at his café and found them to be forged on producing them to an authorised money changer.

He had informed the police that the tourist had a bundle of currency notes in his possession when the transaction was carried out.

However, following the arrest of the tourist, two other business persons also in Hikkaduwa lodged similar complaints against the Italian charging that they also had been cheated by him.

When interrogated about the remaining currency notes believed to be in his possession, the suspect denied of having any currency notes.

Hikkaduwa Police are investigating.