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Champika’s 43 Brigade seeks CIABOC probe on Senadhipathi

27 Oct 2021

  • Queries whether forex owed to Treasury sent overseas
BY Dinitha Rathnayake Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Patali Champika Ranawaka’s 43 Brigade political movement has sought an inquiry in writing from the Commission to Investigate into Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) Chairperson, concerning the assets of Avant Garde Security Services (Pvt.) Ltd. Chairman Nissanka Yapa Senadhipathi. According to the letter handed over to the CIABOC by the 43 Brigade, Senadhipathi had held a press conference in Colombo on 23 October where the latter had stated that the Avant Garde business helmed by him has in the past earned Rs. 550 million a month by providing security services to foreign ships. However, he had said that during the tenure when the previous United National Front (UNF)-led Government took over his business and after the present Government has given it back to him, the revenue has come down to Rs. 95 million a month. Ranawaka was a Minister under the then UNF-led Government. The company is a registered company under the Companies Act. A subsidiary of Avant Garde Security Services, Avant Garde Maritime Services (Pvt.) Ltd., has also entered into an agreement with the state-owned company Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd. to provide security services for foreign ships. “Senadhipathi is obliged to declare assets as a company Chairman and a company Director under Section 2 of the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law, as amended by Act, No. 74 of 1988. Also, according to Section 3 of the above Act, he has a responsibility to declare the assets of his spouse and children in declaring such assets. According to Senadhipathi, he has earned a large amount of foreign currency and this money is due directly to the Treasury through the Navy. Also, in the face of the economic challenge facing the country at this juncture, we feel that a fair investigation should be carried out to find out whether Senadhipathi has sent a large amount of money overseas. Based on the information that is currently being revealed, there is a serious discrepancy between the income shown by the company as well as Senadhipathi and his family members under the Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017,” the 43 Brigade claimed. The 43 Brigade has noted, therefore, that based on this information, it is stated under Section 6 of the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law, that the CIABOC has the inherent power to investigate the assets of the aforementioned persons.


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