News
Rs 400 mn cheating case: Lawyers question failure of police to seize gem consignment
In a cheating case involving gems valued at Rs 400 million, it has been asked why the Financial and Commercial Crimes Investigations Division, FCCID during five months of investigations did not question or seize the cheated consignment of gems from a Ratnapura-based gem businessman who had allegedly bought, through the complainant’s gem broker, the consignment of gems.
It has transpired that three cheques issued by the Ratnapura-based businessman all of which had got dishonoured, whereas the broker’s father and broker’s wife were slapped with foreign travel restrictions moved by the FCCID unit handling the investigations, according to representations made to FCCID Director Mohan Siriwardena on behalf of the gem broker’s father.
In the representation, dated 19th June 2023, addressed to the Director, FCCID, by President’s Counsel M M Zuhair and Attorney Rizwan Uvais, on behalf of A G M Mafas the aggrieved party, it is alleged that in the case reported to the Magistrate Court, Mount Lavinia, the FCCID had identified the Ratnapura businessman and the complainant’s own gem broker, as the perpetrators of the cheating but the investigating unit had failed to act against the alleged Ratnapura buyer who had not even been named in Court as a suspect, though the Ratnapura buyer had issued three cheques to the complainant, a Colombo gem businessman, through the broker for Rs 97.5 million as part payment and all three cheques had bounced.
President’s Counsel has also questioned as to why the Rs 407 million valued gem consignment, necessary productions in the cheating case, was not promptly seized from the alleged buyer as ‘stolen property’ under section 393 of the Penal Code and produced in Court. He has informed the Director that those handling the virtual complainant’s 14th January 2023 complaint, instead of taking any action against the prime suspects, were harassing the gem broker’s father and the broker’s wife by moving Court for travel restrictions on the father Mafas and the broker’s wife.
He has also represented to the Director FCCID that their officers handling the case having reported to Court that the complainant’s broker had sold the ‘consignment of gems’ and not a part of it, to the Ratnapura buyer and had received the three cheques as ‘a part of the value of the consignment of gems’, were making a preposterous allegation, without any evidence, falsely speculating that Mafaz, who had returned to the island after the complaint, may have taken overseas some gems sold to the Ratnapura buyer.
He has also represented that Mafas is a respected gem businessman for over 40 years, without any complaint and the FCCID’s application for travel restrictions is a violation of his rights protected under Articles 14(1)(g), 12(1) and (2) of the Constitution.
Protesting Development Officers continued their hunger strike near the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo yesterday (01), for the seventh consecutive day.The protesters, who are members of the Lanka School Development Officers’ Association, are demanding that they be absorbed into the teacher service as they have served as teachers in state-run schools for nearly seven years.
Secretary of the Association, Viraj Manaranga, said the protesters were seeking an urgent meeting with the President. He added that a presidential aide had visited the protest site and offered to arrange for a meeting with the President on 03 Feb., but the union insisted on an earlier date. Manaranga warned that failure to grant a meeting could trigger a massive protest in Colombo today (02).
Four officers participating in the hunger strike have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while two more joined the fast on Saturday (31).
In a bid to raise awareness of their grievances, on 30 January a delegation of the All Island Development Officers’ Association visited Most Venerable
Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thera, Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter, and subsequently with the Chapter’s Registrar, Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera. The prelates said promises that had been made to them should be fulfilled.
The protest began on 26 January as a satyagraha, after authorities failed to respond to repeated requests to integrate the officers into the teaching service. The escalation into a fast-unto-death underscores the protesters’ frustration over the prolonged delay
by Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
The long-vacant post of Auditor General would be filled on 03 Feb., after months of controversy and delays, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake said on Friday (31) in Kandy.
The Constitutional Council met at the Parliamentary complex on Friday to discuss the appointment but failed to reach a decision on a suitable candidate. The President had previously proposed four names on four separate occasions, all of which were rejected. The Council is now set to consider the fifth nominee.
The post has remained vacant since April 2025, following the retirement of Chulanta Wickramaratne, who served as the 41st Auditor General. More than 10 months have passed without a permanent appointment.
Sources said a female officer in the Auditor General’s Department has been nominated again, though her previous recommendation was rejected due to some allegations against her.
Meanwhile, senior audit officer Dharmapala Gammanpila, with 31 years of service and the department’s most senior official, has received backing from the Mahanayake Theras of the three Nikayas, the Maha Sangha, and several civil society groups for appointment as the 42nd Auditor General.
Sources noted that the three civil society representatives on the Constitutional Council will play a crucial role in the final decision.
by Chaminda Silva and SK Samaranayake
Two 18-year-old youth were arrested by the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division on 31 January for allegedly aiding and abetting two murders carried out in Dehiwala and Kohuwala. ICE (crystal meth) was found in their possession at the time of arrest.
The suspects are residents of Mount Lavinia and Boralesgamuwa, according to the police. They are accused of having helped carry out a murder at a hotel in the Dehiwala Police Division on 9 January, 2026, and an attack on a person travelling in a three-wheeler at Bodhiyawatta, Kohuwala, on 12 December, 2025.
Police said the charges included sending photographs of the victims to a criminal living overseas.
Investigations revealed that the youth had acted under the direction of a criminal known as Sando.
Under the guidance of Janaka Kumara, Director of the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division, investigations are being led by Police Inspector Hemanta Kumara, assisted by Sub-Inspectors Prasanna Gunathilaka and Prasanna (40248), and Constables Chaminda (72987), Anil (79598), Kumar (88762), and Senanayake (19363), who are continuing the probe.
by Norman Palihawadane and Chaminda Silva
China executes four more Myanmar mafia members
No decision yet on ICC meeting to discuss Pakistan boycott
Shoulder injury casts doubt over Eshan Malinga’s T20 World Cup
Showers expected in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Western, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Central provinces
Development Officers threaten to intensify their protest
Auditor General to be appointed tomorrow
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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