By Shamindra Ferdinando
President Maithripala Sirisena has recently received a detailed briefing as regards the ongoing high profile Avant Garde Maritime Service (AGMS) investigation pursued by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).
Well informed sources told The Island that President Maithripala Sirisena had sought an explanation in this regard from a retired high ranking military officer. Subsequently, President Sirisena called senior officials in charge of ongoing high profile investigations, including the AGMS case, for a meeting. Sources said that an irate President Sirisena had expressed his disappointment at not being properly briefed and misled by those handling major investigations.
AGMS has been accused of making massive profits to the tune over Rs 11 bn at the expense of the government with the tacit understanding of the Defence Ministry.
Having examined the cases, President Sirisena had taken the issue up with the UNP on Oct 11 at a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat before accusing CIABOC, the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) and the Criminal Investigation department (CID) of pursuing a political agenda, the following day.
President Sirisena faulted the CIABOC for its handling of the AGMS case. Sources pointed out that President Sirisena had intervened in the wake of former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Major General Palitha Fernando, Major General K. B. Egodawela, former Navy Commanders Admiral Somathilake Dissanayake, Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Admiral Jayantha Perera and Avant Garde Chairman retired commando Major Nissanka Senadhipathi being produced in Colombo Chief Magistrate court on Sept. 30.
They were granted bail with each released on a cash bail of Rs 200,000 and personal bail of Rs 10 million. Although all were barred from leaving the country, former Defence Secretary Rajapaksa was subsequently allowed to leave for China.
Former Additional Secretary of the Defence Ministry Damayanthi Jayaratne, second respondent in AGMS case is overseas.
The case will come up on Dec 1, for the first time after CIABOC’s Director General Dilrukshi Dias Wickremasinghe’s resignation over President’s Sirisena’s remarks.
In addition to the three former Navy Commanders, the FCID recorded statements from former Army Commander Gen. Shantha Kottegoda, former Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody, retired Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe and Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda regarding their involvement in politics. The government found fault with them for holding top diplomatic posts after having retired from active service.
Two former Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera and ACM Roshan Gunatilleke were questioned regarding the acquisition of MiG 27 attack aircraft from Ukraine. The FCID probe was focused on the circumstances under which payments had been made by the then government for aircraft. There hadn’t been any complaints from Ukraine in respect of payments made during the previous administration, sources said, adding that specific amounts paid could be easily verified with Ukrainian authorities. The probe deals with acquisition of eight aircraft directly from Ukraine.
The Katunayake based jet squadrons comprised Chinese, Israeli and Ukrainian aircraft responsible for a highly successful campaign in support of the army as well as a project of SLAF’s own to weaken the fighting capability of the LTTE.
FCID questioned Gunatilleke, one of the very few retired service commanders, not to hold any government appointment following retirement, twice, in connection with MiG transaction.
Courtesy:The Island