The husband of the murdered woman whose body was found in a room of a leading Colombo hotel is to be examined by a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist’s medical report will be produced in court when the case comes up for hearing.
The suspect is Sinnathurai Ganachandran, 48. The body of his wife, Kanagasabai Sudharshini, 48, was discovered days after she was killed. According to the Police, the hotel staff had not opened the room for two days, as a “Do Not Disturb” sign was hung on the door. The room was opened when staff noticed a strong odour coming from the room.
The woman had come down from London for the wedding, which took place in Colombo. The couple were married on February 19, and they moved into the hotel on February 23.
The woman was found with stab injuries.
Trinco students’ killing inquiry will not reopen without directive to do so: SG
The Attorney General (AG) has not received any official communication to reopen investigations into the killing of five students in Trincomalee in 2006, Solicitor General Palitha Fernando P.C. told the Sunday Times.
Until such communication is received to reopen an inquiry, the modalities and the nature of an investigation could not be revealed, Solicitor General Fernando said.
Former AG Mohan Peiris, during an interactive session in Geneva, with representatives of countries interested in the Sri Lankan issue, gave an assurance that investigations relating to the students’ killings will be reopened. The students were killed on January 2, 2006, near the Gandhi Statue on the Trincomalee seafront.
SL yet to request for exemption from US sanctions on Iran: Top US official
By Bandula Sirimanna
Sri Lanka is unlikely to win exemption from US sanctions on Iran by reducing its imports of crude oil from Iran by at least 10% per year, as the country imports 93% of its crude oil requirements from that country.
The value of Iranian crude oil imports by Sri Lanka is very high, and the country can earn a waiver from the sanctions only if it significantly reduces trade with Iran, Counsellor Economic and Commercial Affairs- US Embassy in Sri Lanka, Edward P. Heartney told reporters in Colombo on Thursday.
But he specifically noted that Sri Lanka has not made any request for exemption or waiver from US sanctions on Iran. He pointed out that Sri Lankan authorities were also yet to inform of their decision to reduce crude oil imports by 10%, if there is any such decision.
The proposal for a 10% cut-back on oil imports from Iran was mentioned by one of the journalists.
Answering a question raised by the Sunday Times, Mr. Heartney said that to his knowledge, no country has been granted exemptions by the US so far. He added that the US has offered to provide any technical expertise that may be of assistance for Sri Lanka to tackle the fuel crisis during recent talks here with Treasury officials.
US Embassy officials including himself have been engaged in discussions with Sri Lankan Treasury officials on this issue, before and during the February 2 visit of US Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary Luke Bronin, as well as at subsequent meetings.
The US wants to further strengthen trade relations with Sri Lanka, and it has nointention to push the country and the people into economic difficulty.
Mr Heartney said, "If a country significantly reduces its imports of Iranian oil, then the legal provisions cutting off access of that country's financial institutions to the US financial system are exempted. Under US
law, eligibility for this exemption solely depends on significant reductions in Iranian oil imports, and it is not tied to any human rights issues."
He added, "There is no connection whatsoever between sanctions and human rights records, and thus, Sri Lanka's request could not be granted."
SL requested for exemptions from US: Minister
Petroleum Minister Susil Premajayantha yesterday reiterated that Sri Lanka had appealed to the US for exemptions from its sanctions on Iran, on the grounds that it would have an adverse impact on the country’s economy.
The request was made during talks between visiting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Treasury, Luke Bronin and Petroleum Ministry Secretary R.H.S. Samaratunga, early last month, he told the Sunday Times.
Mr Premajayantha said that there was not much hope of the appeal made, and the Government was devising its own plans on fuel purchases.
Milk powder price hike under review: Min. Sec.
By Mirudhula Thambiah
A request for the revision of milk powder prices by companies importing milk foods, will be considered soon, Trade Ministry Secretary, Susil S. Sirisena told the Sunday Times.
He said that companies importing milk powder have demanded an increase of Rs 35 per kg of milk powder saying that due to the devaluation of the rupees they have to pay more for their imports.
“The price committee of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) will hand over the proposal to the Minister, who would consider the price increase and the profit margin gained by the companies, and take a decision” he said
“However, he said that the price of infant milk powder is unlikely to change, even though other milk foods would go up in price,” he said.
Meanwhile, General Manager- Maliban Milk Products, D.L. Weerasuriya said that milk powder companies are incurring losses since transport costs and production costs have risen, but have yet to receive any response for their proposals and requests to increase the price of milk powder.
“All the milk powder companies tried to contact high officials of the Trade Ministry but were unsuccessful. The CAA is making excuses without considering our problems” he added.
Price control on private transport hires: Minister
Measures are to be introduced to control three-wheelers, taxi services and school vans from charging exorbitant rates for their hire, Minister of Private Transport Services C.B. Ratnayake told the Sunday Times yesterday.
The move would mean that these modes of private transport would be subject to a pricing formula.
He said that similar to regulating private bus fares, these services too will be regulated to prevent customers from being exploited.
“Soon as fuel prices increased, taxi services and school van services have been charging varying amounts far in excess and disproportionate to the increase in fuel prices. Therefore prices need to be regulated,” Mr Ratnayake said.
Government has also decided not to go ahead with a proposal to offer a fuel subsidy for three-wheelers. The offer was to be Rs. 10 per litre for a maximum of three litres per day for 28 days a month.
“Before we even formulated the subsidy, they (three-wheeler owners) increased their prices by varying amounts. Therefore, there is no necessity to offer them a subsidy now’, he said.
Over 50% sans NICs for LG polls in North
With less than two weeks to go before the polls for the Puthukkudiyiruppu and the Maritime Pattu Pradeshiya Sabhas (PSs), over 50% of the registered 44,000 voters are without National Identity Cards (NIC), polls observers said.
To date, around 1,100 of these persons have applied and received temporary NICs under a programme initiated by the Elections Department, Keerthi Tennakoon of the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) said.
Mr. Tennakoon said that voters in the two areas are keen to register themselves to vote in the polls for the first time in nearly 30 years.
Most residents of these two PS divisions were among those worst affected by the war, and have been resettled in recent months, after the areas were cleared of mines.
Meanwhile, Rohana Hettiaratchchi of the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said that campaigning for the election was low key in these areas to date as people were still struggling with getting about their day-to-day lives.
Over 6,000 persons from these areas also still remain at the Menik Farm welfare camp, and the Elections Department has made arrangements to transport them by bus to Mullaitivu on polling day.
“It’s a four to five-hour trip and I am not sure how many will want to travel that distance to vote.
Some people are also adamant not to vote until they are settled in their original places of residence,” he said.
The number of registered voters in Puthukkudiyiruppu stands at 23,169 while in the Maritime Pattu PS area there are 21,513 voters.
Notify violations of Accessibility Regulations for the disabled: HRCSL to public
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has requested members of the public to notify it of any information relating to violations of the Accessibility Regulations for disabled persons, such as accessibility to new buildings.
The request came after Chairman- HRCSL, Justice Priyantha Perera and staunch advocate for the rights of disabled persons Dr. Ajith C. S. Perera discussed in detail the problems faced by persons with disabilities and diverse abilities in this country.
The Chairman stressed the fact that, apart from the aforesaid legal provisions, the rights of the disabled are also protected by Article 12 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, which relates to equality of persons, this is a fundamental right protected by the Constitution.
The Commission said it has already initiated action to monitor the situation relating to the implementation of the regulations that are applicable to all public buildings, public places and to places where common services are available.
Rs. 1 million bribery case: ASP remanded
An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who was caught in the act of taking a bribe of Rs. one million has been remanded until March 22.
ASP Nihal Mendis of the Mirihana Police Division was arrested while allegedly accepting the bribe from the woman who is the complainant in this case. According to the Police, the ASP had demanded Rs. 1.2 million to evict persons living in a welfare centre near the Maharagama cancer hospital. The arrest took place on the premises of a temple near the Sri Jayawardenepura University.
INTERPOL confirms Sicille Kotelawala legally living in the UK since 2009
On-the-run Sicille Kotelawala, a key suspect in the Rs 26 billion Golden Key (GK) scam which brought down the entire Ceylinco empire in December 2008, has been legally living in the UK since 2009, after fleeing Sri Lanka, a local court was told this week.
Evading arrest since the GK crisis broke out, Ms Kotelawala, wife of Lalith Kotelawala, is living in Central London, Inspector Ishan Raban attached to the INTERPOL division at the CID, told the Colombo High Court, when the GK financial fraud case was taken up for hearing on Friday.
Lawyers for the depositors said that INTERPOL has been tracking her in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and England, and finally found her living in London. Her visa in the UK was extended in June 2011, for up to 19-06 -2018.
This was the first time this information transpired in Court, although several depositors informed the CID and Attorney General‘s (AG) Department of the possible hiding place of Ms Kotelawala in the UK in 2011, said President- GK Depositors Association, Dushyanthi Hapugoda. She said that she was informed by the AG’s department that they were contemplating moving for the extradition of Ms Kotelawala, who has been traced to the UK at that time.
She added that they have told her that this procedure is time consuming, as they have to file an application with the British crown prosecution seeking her extradition.
President- GK Depositors Society, Anusha Emmert told the Sunday Times that they cannot understand as to why the authorities are still delaying to arrest the suspect, where a judicial arrest warrant has been issued against her on March 2009, in connection with the GK scam, which saw thousands of depositors deprived of their hard earned money, following the Company’s collapse in December 2008.
The AG’s Department indicted Lalith Kotelawala and eight other GK directors and officials under 91 criminal charges for alleged conspiracy against the State, by operating a finance company between 1999 and 2008, against the provisions of the Finance Companies Act, and thereby, inter alia, committing criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of funds in connection with the GK scam.
Others indicted are Khavan Michael Perera (CEO-Deputy Chairman), Sicille Kotelawala, Padmini Karunanayake, Saradha Sumanasekera, Neranjan Fernando, Suramya Karunanayake, Padma Nandani Kumar and Shantha Ranasinghe, who served as the Company’s Financial Controller.
DNA tests for eight suspects at Ragama Hospital
Tangalle tourist killing
By Ariyadasa Kodithuwakku - Tangalle
Eight suspects allegedly involved in the killing of a British tourist were ordered by the Tangalle Magistrate’s Court to submit themselves for DNA testing on March 19, to a medical consultant attached to the Ragama Hospital.
Tangalle Magistrate Uresha de Silva on Friday ordered to further remand the suspects until March 23.
The court also ordered to issue the copies of the relevant portions of the case proceedings to the suspects for them to file bail applications in a higher court. This order was at the request of an application by the counsel who appeared for the suspects.
Eight suspects Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Sampath Vidhanapathirana, Prageeth Chaturanga, Lahiru Kelum, Sampath Deshapriya, Mohottige Sarath alais Sahan, S.P. Januka Chaturanga, H.T. Nuwan Chinthaka and E.P. Nadeera Shyaman were arrested in connection with the killing of the British tourist Khuram Shaik Zaman and causing severe injuries to his Russian girlfriend Victoria Alexandrovna at a holiday resort in Medilla, Tangalle on December 25, 2011.CID officials appeared for the prosecution.
Chrishantha Punchihewa and Himali Kurugama appeared for the suspects.
Sri Lanka’s dancing queen touched by
surprise b’day tribute
What greater gift can a grandmother, mother and teacher get on her 80th birthday than celebrating the day surrounded by family, friends and students? Dancing legend Vajira Chitrasena was taken by surprise yesterday by the tribute paid to her for her 80th birthday which falls on March 15, 2012, as almost 100 students and well-wishers gathered at the Chitrasena Kalayathanaya in Colombo 5 to greet her with flowers and garlands.
Daughter Upeka Chitrasena said that they planned to celebrate her mother’s 80th birthday on Saturday because it was a day they had classes in the academy. “Her birthday is on March 15, but we decided to give her an early surprise of the big day,” she said adding that the main reason to organise the event was to express their gratitude to this peerless dancer who has taught for many years and is still doing her duty to the young dancers.
Vajira who began her career under Chitrasena’s tutelage in 1946 danced in her first ballet at an early age for the song ‘Kumuduni’ by Ananda Samarakoon.
It was indeed an emotional moment when Vajira bent down to worship the photograph of Chitrasena which hung on the wall. “This is my teacher,” she said taking her shawl to wipe away the tears.
She shared with the Sunday Times that she was grateful to be a part of the event which was held in her honour. “I believe that if one has a strong physique one can do well and I have done quite a lot for my age,” she said smiling.
“I am sort of taking a back seat in the dancing academy because my children are doing all the administration work and I am happy about it. All my children are dedicated to the industry,” she said.
An article read from out to the gathering from a book being written about Vajira by Subha Menike Siriwardena, also a student of hers, described her as “still a child at heart.” The book is yet to be published.
Vajira said she was grateful to everyone who made this dream come true. “I have come all this way and I am hoping to carry on like this till the day I pass away,” she said.
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