Udayanga Weeratunga willing to appear before the Court

The former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, who has an Interpol red notice issued against him, is willing to appear before the Court to face charges against him in connection with the MiG aircraft deal, his lawyers informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

When the case was called, the President’s Counsel appearing for Udayanga Weeratunga said that his client was looking forward to appearing in the Court and requested the Court to remove the travel ban imposed on him.

The State Counsel Attorney-at-law Udara Karunatilaka, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, pointed out that the travel ban imposed on Weeratunga cannot be removed since he has been detained in the United Arab Emirates’ Adman Prison.

The State Counsel explained to the Court that, if Udayanga Weeratunga is willing to come to Sri Lanka, he should first inform the UAE Federal Judiciary and get permission. Since he is still a prisoner of the UAE, the procedure would be for the Sri Lankan security personnel to visit the UAE and, with the collaboration of the UAE security personnel, bring Weeratunga to the country. The State Counsel further pointed out that he cannot travel freely.

The former Ambassador to Russia and Ukraine had been evading an arrest warrant issued on 20 October 2016 by a Colombo Magistrate in relation to investigations pertaining to alleged embezzlement of public funds to the tune of $ 7.833 million with regard to procurement of MiG aircraft and money laundering.  The Court also granted permission for the Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) to obtain details of 40 bank accounts of four senior officers of the Sri Lanka Air Force who have dealt with the MIG deal. The order has been issued to cover seven banks.

The State Counsel told the Court that, while Weeratunga’s accounts are frozen by the Court, a sum of Rs. 3 million had been withdrawn from one of his accounts and transferred to his account in a UAE bank.

The Court has also granted permission for an investigation into the transaction.

The case will be taken up again on 24 August. (Colombo Page)