Well-known Sri Lankan professional consultant, public interest litigant and anti-corruption activist Nihal Sri Ameresekere, finds himself in the middle of a Rs 100 million scandal where a deal was finalized involving the Bank of Ceylon (BoC) and the Treasury less than a month before the Presidential Election.
Nihal Sri Ameresekere
According to documents in Colombo Telegraph’s possession, Ameresekere had requested the BoC for a Rs 100 million overdraft in early December 2014. The Bank was told that Ameresekere would be in a position to repay the money within a month because he would be receiving a sum exceeding this amount from the Treasury. He claimed that the Treasury owed him money and furnished a letter from the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, S.R. Attygalle confirming this.
Colombo Telegraph learns that Ameresekere is yet to settle the amount outstanding a year after the overdraft was obtained.
Ameresekere has maintained that the Treasury had owned him money for services rendered related to negotiations with a Japanese contractor by the name of Mmitsui & Taisei. He has also implied that he helped reduce interest rates and re-schedule loans, according to correspondence in our possession. Ameresekere’s overall claim includes fees for looking after the interests of the Government and Hotel Developers Ltd.
As of now there’s no evidence that Ameresekere was officially contracted to deliver any such services for the Government or for Hotel Developers Ltd.
Colombo Telegraph wrote to Ameresekere seeking clarification on matters arising from the above. We asked him the following:
1. Did you request an overdraft from the Bank of Ceylon in early 2014?
2. Did you say that you will repay within a month since there were monies due to you from the Treasury?
3. If you did receive the overdraft, did you repay within a month and if you did not, why not?
4. Was there any written agreement with the Treasury that you will be paid for actions and efforts which resulted in the write-off of Jap Yen 17,586 million due to Mitsui & Taisei, reduction of interest rates and the re-schedulement of loans?
5. Were you formally tasked to assist and defend the interests of the Government and Hotel Developers Ltd in the litigation instituted or caused to be instituted by Cornel & Company?
6. If so, was there any agreement regarding compensation due for these efforts?
Ameresekere is yet to respond.
However, regardless of whether or not there was a formal agreement with the Government, it is clear that the Treasury, as represented by Attygalle, believed there was. Attygalle after all has informed BoC in writing that the Treasury indeed owes Ameresekere and therefore virtually guaranteed repayment.
Attygalle wrote to the Bank: ‘the Treasury has no objection in granting an advance of Rs 100 Mn to Mr Ameresekere in view of the proposed final settlement in liey of all the claims with respect to HDL, which may be finalized in consultation with the Competent Authority appointed under the Revival of Underperforming Enterprises Or Underutilized Assets Act No 43 of 2011’. The final claim, Attygalle has opined, will be remitted upon the finalization of the claims.
Efforts to reach Attygalle for clarification have proved futile. Colombo Telegraph awaits a full response from Ameresekere to the questions put to him.
Jen / December 12, 2015
times are changing!
Nihal Sri Ameresekere would invest that sum in an LLC which would go bust!! go fetch.
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hangman / December 13, 2015
He has the face of a crook. Look again closely at his photo.
Hang him.
Sack the BOC officials who decided to grant the overdraft.
Has BOC gone after him for repayment? He should be made bankrupt.
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Dinuk / December 13, 2015
Bank of Ceylon General Manager is a Mahinda Jarapassa man and needs to be investigated. BOC has been on an advertising blitz recently about being the best bank in Lanka! Where the funds come of this is anyone’s guess!
The GM BOC a village idiot whose family runs a dog hostel in the official residence of the BOC GM in Colombo 7 and is smelling up the place!
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Dodo / December 13, 2015
Bank of Ceylon and Central Bank are run by crooks and the economy is hence in a disaster with the rupee in free fall against the $$.
Both these institutions need to be investigated and their corrupt heads – particularly the disgraceful Arjuna Mahendran jailed.
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Jagath Fernando / December 13, 2015
Give yahapalanaya BoC board members sometime to do the right thing.
BoC Directors like Ronald Perera and Ranil Wijesinghe will not allow Nihal to get away.
Waiting to see as to what the govt is going to do on this loan?
DST – Sajith Attygalle is in trouble for sure
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Ranjan Sriskantha / February 2, 2016
[Edited out] Please write instead of posting links – CT
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Amarasiri / December 12, 2015
Nihal Sri Ameresekere
RE: Anti-Corruption Activist Nihal Sri Ameresekere In Rs 100 Million Scandal
“Well-known Sri Lankan professional consultant, public interest litigant and anti-corruption activist Nihal Sri Ameresekere, finds himself in the middle of a Rs 100 million scandal where a deal was finalized involving the Bank of Ceylon (BoC) and the Treasury less than a month before the Presidential Election.”
Interesting. Where did the money go?
To the Rajapaksa Presidential election Campaign? Anywhere else?
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Kaushlk / December 12, 2015
Colombotelegraph thank you for exposing this corrupt man who is nothing but a fraud who claims to be a man against corruption. Only you have the courage to expose people like Nihal who is actually encouraging fraud.
He is close to Ravi K only to cover his fraudulent activities.
You are disgrace Nihal.
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Harami / December 13, 2015
our days missionary school we were taught
` honesty is the best policy but the man who follows it is not an honest man.`
if he were a Tamil he would be at Bogambara under PTA.
when you do one another next to you crops up – boa constrictors.
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AM / December 14, 2015
Is this what his parents taught him to do?Shame work hard and earn something.Shame for generations to come.
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Amal / December 12, 2015
Thanks you for exposing this man. This is why your website has credibility. Nihal Amarasekera is close to all newspapers and unlikely that this news will be covered by any other newspaper or TV station.
Nihal is a third grade man who threatens people and makes money.
Hopefully he will be prosecuted soon.
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Ranjith / December 12, 2015
Thanks Uvindu for exposing this devious corrupt man who for years have mislead everyone as an honorable man.
I had the misfortune of working for Nihal Amarasekera for more than five and half years.
He is a devious man who pretends to be a good citizen.
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Horikadey / December 12, 2015
This unscrupulous fraud is available for money to any side. In the early 1970s he ran classes teaching accounting students. Thereafter, he was the financial advisor to Nawaloka Mudalali in the Premadasa days. Then he was close to Cornel Perera and was closely associated in that Mitsui scandal of the missing saga of an entire floor in the Colombo Hilton. He has been involved with most large shady deals in the Premadasa, CBK, Ranil and Rajapakse regimes – siphoning large sums as Consultancy fees. Unlike other crooks close to different governments in the news in recent times Nihal is an educated, personable, clever and smooth operator.
This BoC Over Draft facility sounds strange. No Bank lends such a large sum against some uncertain future dues from the Treasury. Collateral is always in more patent and solid assets.
Horikadey
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Siri Siri / December 12, 2015
Nihal Siri in a financial scandal? Oh la la can we say Ammata Siri?
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Enquirer / December 12, 2015
Here’s another case for the JVP (or the ‘now questionable’ TISL) to investigate and submit to the Bribery Commission if CT’s allegations merit further action.
The most corrupt individuals are the ones who pretend to be against corruption whilst being amongst the ones who are high-grade receivers of ‘benefits’ from the ‘bad guys’!
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Jagath Fernando / December 12, 2015
Well done CT.
He has threatened so many people.
Would love to hear the views of Cornel Perera.
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Barathan / December 12, 2015
If he is a lobbyist let him say so. But why say he is a ‘CLEANSER’ and get into a muddle?
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Donsirisena / December 12, 2015
Shame on you nihal. Everyone who knows nihal well always knew that he is a corrupt man. You can’t hide the truth forever. He is a champion to back stab people. I liked the way he has used Mahinda to make a quick buck and now claim to be an adviser for Ravi Karunanayaka. So this is why he got close to Ravi?
Why can’t he answer the questions? What is the Yahapalana government doing about this?
These are people who talk about anti corruption laws what a joke? This guy is an adviser to Thilanga Sumathipala.
This guy should be questioned and arrested.
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mj / December 12, 2015
Dirt collects dirt. .Ravi..Sumati..
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Spring Koha / December 12, 2015
It’s jackpot for Nihal. Again!
As Grandma would say ‘a fool and his money are soon parted’ and that applies to Government departments/institutions as much as to any one else.
They seek him here, they seek him there, but Nihal’s hiding, who knows where?
You gotta laugh guys and gals.
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Asterix / December 12, 2015
” but Nihal’s hiding,”
not him but fidelity the sister of justice is in tears.
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Govinda / December 12, 2015
Oh Sri Lanka is a breeding ground for corruption. Who will be the next Mr. Clean Man.
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ravi / December 12, 2015
These are the people who talk so big about corruption. Hats off to colombo telegraph for fearlessly exposing this rogue. This man has always been a fraud. He should be questioned by the CID and produced before courts. Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil should take action against this man and not protect him. His best friend is the man who destroyed the judicial system in the country. His son works for Dilith Jayaweera.
He talks big about advising Ravi on the budget but he is robbing the nation. Ravi Karunanayaka should be ashamed to have a person like him advising him.
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Sunil / December 12, 2015
I told earlier that I have read the books. Read the Book ‘Settlement of a Fraud’. Those who somehow wanted to cover up a fraud and pay the Japanese are traitors. The man who saved the country paying over Rs 10,000 million now about Rs. 90,000 million is crucified. This is what you do from UK. Banking secrecy law is violated. Interfering with other people’s contract is unlawful. You should be reported to the Bank of England.
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Soma / December 12, 2015
The Government had begged Ameresekere to withdraw his Cases. If he did not withdraw he would have owned Hilton today. This was his own business. Government had signed contracts to pay him.He got back for the Government Insurance Corporation and Lanka Hospitals at his own cost. So also Port Bunkering from John Keels. He had not collected monies like an NGO
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Inspector Dirty Hari / December 12, 2015
BOC,
“Colombo Telegraph learns that Ameresekere is yet to settle the amount outstanding a year after the overdraft was obtained.”
What have you done to receive the money back? Have you taken legal action?
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Mohan / December 12, 2015
We all know this is the work of Tirukumar Nadeson a swindler. How does he earn so much monies? He did big deals with Basil Rajapkshe. His crony Gamini Gunaratne could not get puppet Krishantha Cooray and take control of Hilton to play out Hilton to help Sheraton of Tirukumar Nadeson and Gamini Gunaratne. They threatened a honest lady Mrs. Sagarica Delgoda. One couch for renovating Hilton was Rs 20 million. Where did all the old furniture go?
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Douglas / December 12, 2015
This situation is well and clearly explained when my village people say: Vatath Niyarath Goiang Kaa Nam, Kata Kiyannada E Amaruwa” (If the protective devises erected to protect the property, destroy the very property, to whom are we to complain). If the BOC relied or held that letter from the Treasury as “surety”, the Bank must proceed to execute the agreement and recover the loan money unpaid by the “Borrower” from the “Guarantor”, in this case the Treasury. Isn’t this the action that a Bank would take in the case of defaulters of loans? Looks like both the Treasury and the Bank have “Aided” and “Abetted”. What people must understand is: This is not Bank’s money, but PEOPLES’ money GIVEN OUT very carelessly and TAKEN OUT very surreptitiously. Unless and Until the PEOPLE, the OWNERS, realize the TRUTH; these type of ROBBERY will go on unchecked and the “CROOKS” out there in various disguises would continue to ROB. Therefore the question is: Are the PEOPLE ready to take ACTION or LIE DOWN in somber?
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Yahapalanaya / December 12, 2015
What are this guys qualifications and experience? Assuming that he is qualified and experience how is he hired to work for the govt. ? Is the assignment advertised so that others also can bid and the track records of the bidders (Consultants) properly investigate or awarded under the table? which cannot happened for tax player funded projects need to follow govt. purchasing policy. Nothing can be done at this point unfortunately as corruption has deep rooted in the SL society. Everyone is waiting for their chance to screw the country. Very pathetic situation.
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maalumiris / December 13, 2015
I am expecting a 1 Mn Rupee cheque back from Inland Revenue any day now.
Dear Bank of Ceylon
Can I get a loan of 1 Lakh on the strength of the above please ??
Sincerely
MM
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rohan perera / December 13, 2015
before we get to NSA, the FCID shouild investigate the complicit role of S. R. Attygalle (who probably acted under instructions from Punchi Banda Jayasundera,the then Secretary to the treasury). Time to lock up Jayasundera, the loku banda’s loku hora.
I read the following and thought it might interest you especially in view of none of Sunday papers reporting this scandal. thank you CT.
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Mohan Mendis / December 15, 2015
The Government of Sri Lanka has acknowledged the debt to Nihal. On that basis the BOC has advanced a creditor of the GOSL. So what’s the fuss about?
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Horikadey / December 15, 2015
As we learn, this was an overdraft facility to be settled within a
mutually agreed to period. The borrower has failed to settle and
therefore dishonoured his pledge. There is an integrity issue involved here.
Horikadey
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Bagehot / December 13, 2015
This guy is a class A joker, and anyone who has dealt with him in the 80s and 90s would know that corruption is his middle name (it is actually Nihal C. Amarasekere – the Sri is just to mislead people). In order to draw attention away from his corrupt doings he took on a public persona of a ‘public activist’ in order to fool the aged and pensioners. The other big corrupt joker in the corporate sector is media darling M.R. Shah, who fought hard with his idiotic unions to give control of the Commercial Bank to the other spineless rogue Mahendra Amarasuriya (now confined to the dustbin of history) and later had to leave Peoples Merchant Bank after completely messing up their operations and pocketing a hefty sum prior to him being outed in the media.
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Kapila / December 13, 2015
Mohan are you Nihal Amerasekere? You are fully exposed now Nihal so take a break and plan on how to make a quick hundred million rupees soon. More on Nihal soon. Good night NSA.
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Inspector Dirty Hari / December 14, 2015
Treasury,
‘the Treasury has no objection in granting an advance of Rs 100 Mn to Mr Ameresekere in view of the proposed final settlement in liey of all the claims with respect to HDL, which may be finalized in consultation with the Competent Authority appointed under the Revival of Underperforming Enterprises Or Underutilized Assets Act No 43 of 2011′.
Did you pay Mr Amerasekere or not? How much and when?
Thank you.
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Faraz Asghar / December 14, 2015
Nihal Ameresekere has let down all of us who applauded his stance. With so many cases launched by him it was not surprising that public interest litigation got mixed up and confused by derivative actions.
It is a sad day like a funeral when we started to hear of the catastrophic behavior of nihal amerasekera we thank MTV and daily ft
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Pasuwardana / December 14, 2015
All this was robbed while “gedara yana gaman”
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razi / December 14, 2015
everyone who went shopping for the boss are in trouble.one by one is being toppled
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Ashwin killer kothu / December 14, 2015
Day light Robbery.We must watchful of crooks who appears in Tv and newspapers talking about curruption.They appear to cover themself.Fcib over to u
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Ranjan / December 17, 2015
We as lawyers are shocked at your two Articles published and the comments by certain parties of sheer hooliganism condoned and encouraged by you.
Breaching banking secrecy is a criminal offence and possession of stolen bank documents is also a criminal offence, so too anyone who aides and abets or conspires therewith. You as publisher, who also claim such possession, is also liable under the law.
There is also the question of privity of contract, where no outside party could intermeddle or interfere with and/or aid and abet therewith, which you have condoned and encouraged. These are offences under the law.
Threats and intimidations of public servants are also punishable offences under the law and aiding and abetting therewith are also punishable offences, and you have condoned and encouraged the perpetration of the above offences.
The above violations of the law should be referred to Scotland Yard, the Serious Fraud Office and UK Tax Authorities for investigation and action.
We have been following the Hilton case from its inception in 1991 and have a deep understanding of the case. When the then Government was squeamish in confronting the perpetrators of a huge fraud in the Hilton Hotel project, Mr.NSA singlehandedly spending his own money exposed this fraud thus saving our country a sum in excess of Rs.87 Billion – I repeat, a sum in excess of Rs.87 Billion!
Mr.NSA, who has been involved in exposing many other frauds that were being perpetrated on the people of this country by the powers that be is fully justified being adequately compensated for his laudable efforts. Instead of criticising people of the rare caliber of Mr.NSA we should all get together and encourage him to expose the fraudsters who take cover under the cloak of politicians.
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Indra / April 9, 2016
This is a very good pael kavi singing the praises of a well established fraud. The Prime Minister should be ashamed that he has displayed to the general public his empty cranium that allowed the fraud to take advantage of him.
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