Open warrant issued for Udayanga

Saturday, 17 March 2018 01:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday issued an open warrant to arrest former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga through Interpol.

Weeratunga has been evading a warrant of arrest issued on 20 October 2016 by the Colombo Magistrate. He is linked to investigations on alleged embezzlement of public funds regarding the procurement of MiG aircraft and money laundering. The investigation also includes the role played by former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the purchase.

On the basis of a Blue Notice obtained by Interpol Sri Lanka on Weeratunga, Sri Lanka authorities had been working through mutual legal assistance with a number of countries to trace his whereabouts.

He was intercepted in the UAE on Sunday 4 February when he attempted to leave to the United States. This arrest was made on the basis of the Blue Notice issued by Interpol but he was later released despite efforts by Sri Lankan authorities to keep him detained and have him extradited to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka does not have an extradition treaty with the UAE.

Open warrant...

Weeratunga, who is also a relative of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is alleged to have misappropriated $ 14 million in a controversial deal where four Ukranian-built MIG-27 aircraft were bought for the Sri Lankan Air Force.

The Colombo Fort Magistrate Court on 19 October 2016 issued a directive allowing the FCID to issue an international warrant to arrest Weeratunga in connection with the MIG deal. Additionally, the Court in January 2017 ordered the suspension of 16 bank accounts belonging to Weeratunga.The Fort Magistrate Court last month issued an order banning the sale or transfer of any property belonging to Weeratunga in Sri Lanka.