SJB says Pandora Papers probe mere eyewash

Main Opposition SJB alleged that the Government was attempting to sweep the Pandora papers under the carpet and the investigation will be mere eyewash.

SJB Colombo District MP SM Marikkar on Thursday told Parliament that the government appeared to be intent on hushing the issue by linking the time of the commission of the alleged offence to a non-Rajapaksa regime era prior to 1994.

The aim of linking the issue to those years was because money laundering regulations were introduced in the country only in 2006.

He said that an investigation had been conducted by the Yahapalanaya government on Thirukumar Nadesan, the husband of Nirupama Rajapaksa, whose name was in the Pandora Papers and his alleged links to a luxury house in Malwana.

“According to the investigations, between Dec 2012 to Nov 2014, $ 2.4 million had come into the country from a company called ‘Red Ruth’ via HSBC – Hong Kong to the NTB’s Cinnamon Gardens branch.

“Thereafter, from January to November 2014, a further $ 1.3 million had been paid into another account of Nadesan, totalling $ 3.7 million. Overall, total funds received amounted to $ 5.9 million,” Marikkar said, adding that the funds had been transferred by China Cement Engineering and China National Machinery.

He alleged the funds were a kickback by the Chinese and linked to Sri Lanka Government payments amounting to Rs. 4 billion to Chinese firms in connection to the Gin and Nilawala Ganga project just prior to the 2015 Presidential election, which the Rajapaksa’s lost.

“Between December 2014 and early January 2015, Rs. 4 billion was remitted,” claimed the SJB MP, reading from a document during his speech.

Marikkar said that the decision to appoint a Commission to probe the Pandora papers was eyewash.