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Udayanga debacle in Dubai: Fresh team flies to Lyon to get ‘Red Notice’
A last ditch attempt is being made by the Government to persuade Interpol Headquarters in France to issue a “Red Notice” to enable the arrest of Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, who is now in Dubai.
A prime suspect in the alleged mass fraud involving the procurement of MiG 27 fighter jets from Ukraine in 2006, he was detained by Interpol officials at the Dubai International Airport. He was released after a counsel hired by him argued that the arrest had been wrong since it was made on the basis of an Interpol “Blue Notice,” which was only an advisory.
The local Interpol Office located at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters in Colombo has sent its officials to Lyon, France to meet Interpol officials at their own headquarters. They have also channelled an official request setting out details of the investigations so far and why Mr Weeratunga was required to make a statement.
The Sunday Times has learnt that a MiG 27 procurement deal with Sri Lanka does not exist. A purported agreement covering the deal, drafted by a military officer now exiled in Canada, has turned out to be allegedly fictitious. More than double the stated amount in this so-called agreement has been remitted through spurious channels and a major effort had been made to cover up matters relating to the transaction. Those involved have been identified.
A seven-member team which rushed to Dubai to secure Mr Weeratunga’s custody learnt to their dismay that he had been released when they arrived in Dubai. The team had been dogged with many issues. Their flights had to be put off on three consecutive occasions since approval for their visas had not arrived. When they eventually landed in Dubai at dawn, with little or no sleep, the members of the team were unable to obtain appointments with the Prosecutor General of the Emirates, top Police officials or others relevant to their visit.
They later hired the services of Casipillai Chakradaran, a Sri Lankan lawyer now associated with the Dubai Law firm Afridi and Angell. The firm specialises in litigation and arbitration, maritime, corporate and commercial, banking and financial services. The law firm in turn obtained the services of a firm of lawyers from the Emirati kingdom and was to learn that Mr. Weeratunga had been released. They also learnt he was still in Dubai and had been joined by his wife.
The event became a local polls issue after Mr Weerartunga posted in his facebook that he had been released since there were no “international charges,” against him. It was claimed that he was on his way to Ukraine — a claim hotly contested by the Sri Lankan officials. They said “there was no way he could go to Ukraine since he is wanted there for questioning.”
The Weeratunga debacle in Dubai prompted President Maithripala Sirisena to be in touch with the Sri Lanka team by telephone on a number of occasions on Friday. Since Friday and Saturday are holidays in Dubai, they were waiting till Sunday to formally raise issue over the former Ambassador. They are hoping that there would be a response from Interpol Headquarters by then.
In a joint media statement on Friday, both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Law and Order conceded that Mr Weeratunga had been released but added he had been prevented from leaving “until investigations are concluded.” The team will resume its efforts to pursue further action today.
Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana has spoken on the telephone with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also spoke to officials of the Sri Lanka diplomatic mission in Abu Dhabi to expedite the return of Mr Weeratunga.
President Sirisena has named Additional Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda as the coordinator of the seven member team. Other members include Senior DIG Ravi Waidyalankara, an ASP and an Inspector from the Criminal Investigation Department, Parinda Ranasinghe from the AG’s Department, H.M. Wijeratne, Legal Officer in the Foreign Ministry and Immigration Deputy Controller (overseas diplomatic missions) Devapriya Gunasinghe.