Chairman of the Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka (MBSL) Janaka Ratnayake, who was Chairman of Computer Island Private Ltd at No 134, High Level Road Kirulapone, is due to appear before Colombo High Court Judge Ms. Rohini Welgama tomorrow in a computer fraud case.
The case pertains to alleged criminal breach of trust and mishandling of 39 computers by defaulting in a sum of Rs. 3.5 million to Sterling Merchant Investments Ltd, formerly Pramuka Merchant Corporation Ltd.
MBSL headed by Mr Ratnayake is currently managing agent of the failed F&G Ltd, a finance company of the troubled Ceylinco group.
The case was filed by the CID on a complaint made by Gerard Nirmal Pieterz, Manager (Loans) of Sterling Merchant Investments Ltd saying that Mr Ratnayake’s company had been given a loan facility of Rs. 8.5 million by the former Pramuka firm to import 100 computers from IBM Singapore Pvt Ltd .
Court records show that the defendant company settled some bills amounting to Rs. 2.4 million on 05 -06-2002. Then Mr. Ratnayake on behalf of the company issued a cheque for Rs. 3 million, post dating it for 11-03-2003. After disposing of 61 computers, he was permitted to keep the balance 39 computers in the stores of Computer Island Pvt Ltd with the stores’ keys under the custody of the plaintiff company in accordance with the pledge agreement.
The post-dated cheque was returned due to lack of funds on 30-04-2003 but the 39 computers which were kept till the balance money is paid were found missing from the stores.
The plaintiff company in an affidavit has requested an order to recover the balance amount of the loan from the defaulter and to take appropriate action against the defendant company. |
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