News/Comment

3rd March 2002

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Stassen case dragging on

By Laila Nasry

The case relating to the Custom Department inquiry into the alleged multi million rupee import fraud of the Stassen Group of companies has been postponed yet again.

It is now in its fourth year with the inquiry still to be completed.

When the case came up before the Court of Appeal last Tuesday Deputy Solicitor General K. Sripavan informed court that the Director General of Customs (DGC) had requested in writing for a postponement of the case for a minimum of three months.

Stating that a new prosecuting officer had been appointed as the previous officer had gone abroad, the DGC had said that further time was necessary for the new officer to study the evidence already led during the inquiry.

The case has now been listed for May 21.

The Customs Department is inquiring into an alleged under-invoicing of foodstuffs including cooking chocolate, sausages and cheese, imported by the Stassen group of companies.

Customs officials seized more than 40 files allegedly containing incriminating evidence when they raided Stassen House, the office of a conglomerate headed by Harry Stassen Jayawardene, in September 1997.

In July 1998 the Stassen Group obtained a stay order bringing the Customs probe to a halt. The stay order was varied from time to time enabling the Customs Department to lead the evidence of three witnesses who took part in the raid.

The case was filed by Harry Jayawardene, V.P.Vittachi, C.R.Jansz, K.Ramanathan, J.V.M.Dabrera and Raja Mendis.


SLT falling down on its job

Despite instructions from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRC) to Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) that detailed billing should be given free to all SLT customers, no action has been taken regarding the matter.

Sources at TRC said that a letter had been sent to SLT in December 2000, stating that itemized billing should be given free of charge to all SLT customers.

"Charging customers for providing detailed bills is not correct", a manager at the TRC said.

Although the SLT monopoly will end in August this year, no action has been taken by SLT to place advertisements and do the necessary ground work for new companies to enter the market.

Sources also said that the TRC has also written to SLT that a uniformed numbering plan for all other operators be adopted. However, this too has not been done up to date.


Grandma fears UNF terror

A UNF candidate contesting the Colombo District at the upcoming local polls has allegedly sent his goons to attack the residence of a woman after she scolded him for her stranded son's plight in Bangkok.

The woman, M. M. Gertrude Perera, from Modera told The Sunday Times that the politician ran an illegal employment agency that charged Rs. 400,000 from job aspirants to send them to Italy. She said her son paid the politician the money but he was now stranded in Thailand.

She said that on Tuesday she met the politician at a religious ceremony in the area and took him to task for not honouring his word.

Ms. Perera, a grandmother, alleged that on Wednesday midnight a gang of about 15 people visited her house, banging on the gate and the front door, and terrorising the household.

The gang had told Ms. Perera that they would not repay the money and challenged her to do whatever she could, she said adding that the gang had broken the wooden front door of her house.

Around 2. a.m., Ms. Perera said that after the gang had left she braved herself to go to the Modera police station and lodged a complaint against the politician and his gang.

She said she was now living in fear and was concerned for the safety of her children and her little grand children who were with her at the time of the incident.

She said that on the following day she wrote a letter to Prime Minister and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, complaining about the thuggery unleashed by the politician of his party.

Neighbours also said they viewed the case against the politician as a test for the Prime Minister who, a few years ago as opposition leader, had promised tough action against thuggery of politicians.


30 top cops face corruption probe

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

Interior minister John Amaratunga has ordered a full inquiry into the sudden swell of assets of more than thirty senior police officers during the past few years.

According to ministry sources, complaints against these officers, some politically highly connected, were not inquired into by the previous regime.

They said the ministry would initiate legal action against these officers if the probe showed that they amassed wealth in an improper and illegal way.

It is believed the cases against the errant officers could go to the Bribery and Corruption Commission.

The sources said that these officers would be asked to declare their assets and all sources of income.

Minister John Amaratunga, confirming that an inquiry will be underway said that the rampant corruption in the armed services and the police force had destroyed public respect for these institutions.


Minister visits Jaffna campus

The Jaffna University is getting a bus, a van and a pick-up after deans met Tertiary Education Minister Kabeer Hashim when he visited Jaffna this week.

The deans told the minister that the university lacked basic facilities such as laboratory equipment, furniture, transport and e-mail communications.

Minister Hashim's team included UGC Chairman BRRN Mendis and Ministry Secretary Saman Ediriweera and the delegation was the first from the Higher Education sector to visit Jaffna in many years. Minister Hashim is the first Higher Education Minister to address the senate of the University after Badi-u-din Mohammed addressed it 28 years ago.



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