Deyata Kirula CEO ordered to appear before CID

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

A Colombo Court yesterday directed the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Deyata Kirula National Exhibition 2013 to appear before Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today (23 April) and make a statement regarding the alleged cheating and misappropriation amounting to Rs.39 million.

On 4 April, the CEO Deyata Kirula National Exhibition Kanthi Gunawardana filed an anticipatory bail application in Court to pre-empt the possibility of her arrest over charges levelled by the CID.

When the inquiry into the anticipatory bail application came up before Colombo Fort Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya, the State Counsel who appeared for the Attorney General moved Court that the case be fixed for another date in order to file objections regarding the anticipatory bail application.

However, President’s Counsel Shanaka Ranasinghe appearing for the petitioner alleged that the prosecutors had given 18 days to file objections and maintained that the given time period was quite sufficient. He further told Court that his client would assist for CID investigations and further said she was still serving at the Ministry of Public Administration.

Having considered the submissions made by both parties, the Magistrate directed that the petitioner Kanthi Gunawardana to be appear before CID and make a statement during the hours 9am to 6pm today.

Filing a B report in Court on 27 March, the CID informed Court that they had begun an investigation against the Deyata Kirula National Exhibition 2013, Secretarial Office CEO, for allegedly cheating and misappropriating Rs.39 million by not following the proper tender procedure.

The CID further told Court that a complaint had been made in this regard by Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry Secretary H.M. Gunasekara on 21 February regarding the alleged misappropriation amounting to Rs.39 million.

In her petition, Gunawardana, the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology cited the OIC of the Criminal Investigations Department as respondent.

 The petitioner had denied all the allegations levelled against her and maintained that all transactions done by her were duly accounted for and, therefore, she had not committed any offence. She further said that she had done all transactions in accordance with the state monetary regulations.

She further said that there was no reason for her to evade Court. At this point, the petitioner moved the Court for an order to be issued on the respondent, to release her on anticipatory bail if she was arrested over the alleged charge. Further magisterial inquiry into the matter was fixed for 2 May.  

In this case, the complainant alleged that the contract relating to the construction of temporary toilets had been given to a private company without the approval of the PTEC by the CEO of the Deyata Kirula Exhibition 2013 and thereby made an additional payment of Rs.1.7 million to the contractor.

He further alleged that the suspect had made other payments amounting to Rs.12 million, Rs.11 million and Rs.255,000 for a reading room, a canteen and for flower decorations respectively at the Deyata Kirula Exhibition site.