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Driver’s claim over Anura’s billion-rupee properties held up in court
View(s):The driver/ security guard of the late Anura Bandaranaike encountered a delay in his attempt to obtain legal acceptance of a copy of his former employer’s will through which he claims a sizeable inheritance – a claim disputed by Mr Bandaranaike’s sisters.
The Western Provincial Civil Appellate Court on Wednesday postponed until November 11 the hearing of the appeal by Mr S.A. Wasantha Samarasekera in the testamentary case he filed over Mr Bandaranaike’s estate.
The Bench comprised High Court Judges L.T.B. Dehideniya and H.C.J. Madawala. In the appeal, Mr Samarasekera requested the court to set aside an order of the District Court on February 8, 2011 that rejected his application for court acceptance of the copy of Mr Bandaranaike’s last Will and Testament, dated May 9, 1996.Mr Samarasekera also sought an order directing the District Court to accept the copy of the will and proceed hearing his claim for his share in the last will.
He states that according to this document Mr Banadaranaike left property worth more than Rs 1.1 billion to him and two other respondents, and to the Anura Bandaranaike Foundation. Mr Bandaranaike’s elder sister, Ms Sunethra Bandaranaike, on the other hand, has filed action in the Colombo District Court to claim Mr Bandaranaike’s property on the basis that he died without leaving a will.
She said her brother had made a will but the original document was later destroyed. Therefore, she said, she and her sister, Chandrika Kumaratunge, were the heirs to Mr Bandaranaike’s properties and were each entitled to receive a half-share of the estate.
Mr Samarasekera filed objections to dismiss the action brought by Ms Bandaranaike, annexing the copy of his former employer’s will. He asked the court to reject her application for letters of administration in respect of her brother’s properties and sought letters of administration of the properties to be bestowed on himself.
He stated that the two other heirs mentioned in the copy of the will – a political supporter and close friend of Mr Bandaranaike, Reny Dirwin Saparamadu of Beverly Hills, California, and a former close aide, Senarath Chandrasinghe, had also filed similar objections.
He said the District Court’s order against him was contrary to law, violated the principles of natural justice, and was prejudiced against the rights of himself, Mr Saparamadu and Mr Chandrasinghe.
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