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Prosecution insists Tiran’s lawyers cease postponing case sans justifiable reasons
The Attorney General’s (AG) Dept this week insisted that the Defence Counsel representing former MP Tiran Alles and the other accused in the case of misappropriation of funds at the Reconstruction & Development Agency (RADA), should cease postponing the case without justifiable reasons.
Mr Alles and three others are charged with criminal misappropriation of Rs 200 million. Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Dileepa Peiris told the Colombo High Court that statements made by the Defence that cases had been filed as an act of political revenge, were harmful and that, if the case was kept dragging in this manner, it would take 85 years to call all 85 witnesses in the case.
If the Defence was attempting to continually postpone the case, DSG Peiris said he intended to request court to hear the case every day, as per the judgement given by the Court of Appeal regarding the case against former Minister Johnston Fernando. Meanwhile, Minister of Megapolis & Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka, who had been issued notice to appear before court to give evidence, did not turn up, informing court he had to leave on an official overseas visit. DSG Peiris informed court that steps will be taken to call the minister to give evidence when needed. He then called Minister Ranawaka’s Private Secretary Dayaratne Perera to give evidence.
In evidence led by State Counsel Udara Karunathilake, Mr Perera said he handed over 4 sets of folders the minister had given him for safekeeping, to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU). He said that, on the minister’s instructions, he had obtained a letter from the police officers when handing over the documents, but did not know its contents.
Nalin Ladduwahetty P.C., Counsel for 1st accused, Tiran Alles, stated he has yet to receive these documents, though he had requested for them. High Court Judge Vikum Kaluaarachchi told him to inform what documents he needed. DSG Peiris, however, rejected the Defence’s claims that the documents had not been handed over.
Meanwhile, P.C. Ladduwahetty also submitted a draft of a charge sheet against witness Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe to charge him for allegedly giving false evidence before court. He stated that he would make his submissions on the matter after the Prosecution concludes its evidence. The judge accepted the request made by the Defence to subject witness Perera to a lengthy cross-examination. The case was postponed for December 11.
Attorneys-at-Law Shanaka Ranasinghe, Mahinda Jayawardana and Nalinda Indratissa appeared for 2nd accused Emil Kanthan, 3rd accused Saliya Wickramasuriya and 4th accused Jayantha Dias Samarasinghe respectively.