Details of 33 overseas companies of Ceylinco Chief Lalith Kotelawala have been revealed. Out of this, 16 are operating in Australia, three in Singapore, two in Malaysia, two in UK, two in India, two in Dubai, and one each in Canada, Mauritius, and Thailand Sixteen companies in Australia had been registered as proprietary companies of the Golden Key. Asia Global Investments Ltd in Malaysia is the largest company being used by the Ceylinco Chief to invest massive sums of money sent from Sri Lanka from time to time.
He is also operating three companies --Abisares Ltd, Visirate Ltd and Gold Lada Ltd in Zurich through his representative C. Harris of Price WaterHouse, Zurich since 2000. The Sunday Times FT is in possession of a letter written by Kotelawala appointing A.D. Jegasothy, Attorney at Law and K.M.A.T. B Tittawella, Attorney at Law as his lawyers to represent him at the EGM’s of these companies.
The Central Bank will conduct investigations into the operations of these banks soon after the declarations of assets by Kotelawala and directors of the Golden Key in accordance with the Supreme Court directive, Attorney General’s Department sources said. The transactions and investments overseas should be investigated by the Monetary Board of the Central Bank and other authorities to find out whether thae money of the depositors have been used illegally in setting up these overseas companies, these sources added .
Secretary of the Golden Key Depositors Association Dushanthi Hapugoda told The Sunday Times FT that foreign customers numbering 2,000 had invested over Rs. 2 billion with the company and they normally do not collect their interest monthly and the interest was being accumulated to the capital. She urged the Central Bank authorities to probe this matter as well.
Picture shows the official opening of Ceylinco Property Development office in Melbourne by Lalith Kotelawala and Sicilee Kotelawala on August 28, 2007.
|
E-mail