Anika Wijesuriya, this morning told the Commission to inquire into the Bond Scandal that, her super luxury apartment at the Monarch Residencies was taken on lease by Arjun Aloysius who paid for it on behalf of the then finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake.
She also said that Arjun Aloysius had called her and told her to “destroy” the lease agreement pertaining to the transaction.
Minster Foreign Affairs and Lotteries Ravi and his wife Mela – Photo via his Facebook
Giving evidence before the commission, Wijesuriya said that she owned the apartment, and had wanted to give it on rent since she does not live there. She said that she was working on the Weligama Marriot hotel built by her family and that she was based there.
When deciding to give it on rent, Karunanayake’s wife Mela had called the brother of Anika who had then put her in touch with Anika.
The wife of the minister had then arrived at the apartment to inspect the apartment with two bodyguards. Thereafter she had taken a call and told the witness that “a person known to both of us will be here”. Anika is a former student of the Colombo International School.
A shortwhile after, Arjun Aloysius had arrived at the apartment. Thereafter following discussions the witness said it was clear that Arjun was going to pay the rent for the house in which the Karunanayakes were moving into.
The apartment was identified as 5PH2.
The entire lease amounting close to 9 million was paid for by a company named Walter and Rowe which Arjun and his father Geoff are both Directors. It is a fully owned subsidiary of the holding company of Perpetual treasuries.
Anika told the commission that she had quoted a high price given the fact that the apartment was furnished and that it was ready to be occupied. She said the usual rate for rent per month for such luxurious penthouses is around 8000USD.
Anika is the daughter of Nahil Wijesuriya.
Thereafter the Karunanayakes had moved into the apartment after which the daughter of the Minister and the witness had developed a close relationship, the witness said.
Accordingly, following the end of the lease period of 6 months, which commenced in February 2016, the Karunanayakes had decided to buy the apartment. Their family company of which Mela and the daughter are Directors had paid 165 million rupees and purchased the apartment the witness said.
The witness also said that Arjun Aloysius had called her last week and insisted that she destroyed the lease agreement. She said that she had decided against it.
She also said that the current Minister of Foreign Affairs Ravi Karunanayake had called her father Nikhil last week.
The witness said that she knew that the information on the transaction had been found out by the investigators when officers of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) visited her in March this year.
The witness Anika, provided her name as Muthukudarachchige Vinodini in order to protect her identity during testimony.
Deputy Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda led the evidence.
mervyn fernando / July 25, 2017
Ravi the best Finance Ministee and Ranil the Bigger rogue. Both should be whipped at the Galle Face Green. It appears that all Royal College products are Rogues.
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Udeny Dayarathna / July 25, 2017
At least now these things are coming out into open, and are investigated.
Under the MR government these things were swept under the carpet, and there will never be any investigation.
Rogues are rogues, which ever party they belong to !
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Sherman De Sliva / July 25, 2017
Take Ravi to prison… till then your praise about the present government is not valid as its the same old shit but a different day!
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Native Vedda / July 26, 2017
Sherman De Sliva
“Take Ravi to prison”
Good idea, however when will you demand that crooks who served in the previous kleptocracy be taken into prison?
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Lankan R. / July 27, 2017
Search and find out who is AnikaWijesuriya the daughter of Nahil Wijesuriya.
Mahinda Mamas pets – you will know where the cat is coming from and why its blaming Ravi K and this Government lol
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whywhy / July 31, 2017
Where are you going to put the 4.8 million who voted to
save the crooks and another 5.2 million who voted to
replace the old cooks with a new batch ? EMERGENCY
CALL ! THE COUNRY NEEDS FRESH CROOKS WITH
ADVANCED CAPABILITY TO HOODWINK THE MOST
INTELLIGENT VOTERS OF SOUTH ASIA !!!
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when / July 31, 2017
you need nothing just hang on.
do not build a boat with old wood.
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Leonard / July 26, 2017
Udenny
Investigations, commissions, grilling has become the growth industry in Sri Lanka. Question is “where is the pork” . So far no one been jailed or been convicted not even meaning full prosecution. In-fact it is 100 times worst under Mr. Clean & MS now than last regime. Percy Mahendra must be miffed how Mr. Clean has become Mr. Slippery seamlesely.Case in point name sake Arajuna Mahendran bro-mancing with Mr. Clean from get go and now Aloysius been looked after by his favorite uncle the artful dodger himself Mr. Clean.
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Nissanka Dasanayaka / July 28, 2017
Both govts are corrupt. None coulx say one is better.All corurupt x politiaians are in this govt.
Raanil has his own currupt lot like the Rajapaksha brothers.
We ne ed a new party. Void of all the crooks in power a d who were in power.
Will a young ecucated bold gutty person commence a new party
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Analyst / July 25, 2017
I commend CT for exposing all these crooked dealings, well done CT !
So too the YAHAPALANAYA Govt for giving media freedom .
In the past in the Jara Passas Govt there was no media freedom nor exposures of crooks and crooked dealings, those who exposed were never to return home . They never saw their loved ones again.
We knew they were either white vanned or tortured and killed by the Jarapassaa henchmen.
That’s the difference ! We hope The President who was partying with the crooks of the past in the last Regime will DO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS as he promised to the people and the country when he changed Colour, in 2015 January. Hope he remembers that!!
The people will never forget that President.
You recruited all the Bad apples from the last Regime in to your so called Good Governance.
That’s the biggest mistake you have done to the people who trusted you for your naive arrogance and innocence!!!!
Now you’re in a worst position than before you took over , because your hands are tied up by the Crooks in your government.
I think it’s utter shame on you.
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wannihami / July 25, 2017
So the Yahapalnaya government has been in power for 2.5 years, why cannot they expose the alleged crooks from before they came to power, if that is the case the CT can publish the details because of all the freedoms that is said to be prevailing, Oh Analyst are’t you..well..screwed !
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Analyst / July 25, 2017
Wannihamy
Why don’t you ask CT to publish those details too instead of barking up the wrong tree!!
There’s always a time and place to publish a tantalising news. Any journos will tell you that.
I have said that the President’s hands too are tied up by the crooks he trusted !!
Was it a well planned coup ?? by the President at the time when appointing all the crooks of last regime as heads of the ministries ?? Surely it was a yes .
This is what happens even to presidents of a country or PMs!
When you sleep with dogs you wake up with FLEAS AND MAGGOTS!!
Said so?? Wannihamy!!
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malik / July 26, 2017
‘ commend CT for exposing all these crooked dealings’
Was that a JOKE????? This story broke and was carried by respected News outlets first, A Fact. CT just copied and pasted it. As they realized the Jaffna judge shooting could not be politically exploited.
some Analyst u are
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M H Meezan / July 25, 2017
Mr Fernando, Please don’t insult all ROYALIST simply because you could not be a old boy of that school or have no idea of the honourary citizens that institution that has contributed to our country over the centuries. They may not be well represented in politics today which I agree. But NOT ALL “Royal College products” are “Rogues” as you have vindictively stated. If you’re referring to those who claim to be old “Royalist” are “Rogues” then prove that Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy who is the current Central Bank governor and those gentlemen of repute like Dr Gamini Corea are also “Rogues”. Get lost TURD! Go spew your vitriol elsewhere.
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Noor Nizam / July 26, 2017
[Edited out] Comments should not exceed 300 words.Please read our Comments Policy for further details.
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Native Vedda / July 26, 2017
mervyn fernando
“Both should be whipped at the Galle Face Green.”
What if both enjoyed whipping?
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Mervyn / July 26, 2017
They should be whipped with madu waligaya.
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whywhy / July 31, 2017
We have empty Expressways , Empty ports and airports , Jungles
with carpeted roads , International branded goods , ALL FOR
PEOPLE LIKE RAVI AND NAMAL , products of Royal and Thomas !
Anyway , why blame great schools that produced great leaders
in old good times that disappeared decades ago. The trend now is,
who produce the best rogue ! The whole system is corrupt to the
core and THE DECLARATION OF FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
AND FRAUD ITSELF is another form of corruption and fraud .
All these because of the general trend in Srilankan GREED for
UNLIMITED MONEY AND POSSESSIONS TRIGGERED BY EGOISM.
Nobody is looking for a better life . Everybody’s objective is one
and that is nothing but beating the other at any cost ! It is a race
and a very dangerous suicidal race in many names of
DEVELOPMENTS AND PROJECTS by the mafia of Srilankan
politics.
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Mark / July 31, 2017
Say Jaya wewa!
you get what you are worth in this world.
you get ct because it exist lie leech.
try samsara.
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Desmond Fernando / July 25, 2017
Can somebody enlighten me how a scam could happen from a ” public auction” rather than of a private placement to start with.
From there onwards manipulations could happen since the EPF / CB could get involved as happened in the past.
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harry hatton / July 27, 2017
This is the point. It was only a name sake public auction. Only one primary dealer was present for the 10 billion bonds. And the interest rates were increased by the father-in-law of that primary dealer !
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srinath gunaratne / July 25, 2017
Hic,Hic,Hic,…
Where is our yahapalana brothers and sisters, come and clean this guy! Wenasa sapada?
When are we going to discuss about a new political party?
A business friendly, patriotic, government, that does not rely on the begging bowl!
A government to uphold the rule of law!
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Sam Fernando / July 26, 2017
Dont widen your grins – you will see how will it end up to former leader soon. They have almost everything got collected to let the bubble blast in clarion call.
Good luck..
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maalumiris / July 29, 2017
“Dont widen your grins – you will see how will it end up to former leader soon.”
Aiyo !…. How long to wait ? So far, they have only caught Drivers and Houseboys from from former leaders regime !! Not a single cent of the mythical “looted money” has been found, never mind 10 billion dollars !
Admit it. they fooled the whole country
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whywhy / July 31, 2017
” They fooled the whole country.” You mean the “miracle of Asia”
is full of fools ? No , no no no maalumiris , fools are generally
innocent . Look , we have 4.8 million votes for Namal Daddy !
Mr Clean , Mr Cool , Mr Siri Goyya and SF screamed on
platforms calling the family band HORU but that 4.8 didn’t
believe it ! Why ? You think Greens voted for Mr Clean in good
heart ? Never ! They were waiting for their turn , simple as that !
Fasten your seat belt , Horu and Kamba horu , in their own term
might even form a YAKAPALANAYA when you wake up
tomorrow if Tsunami doesn’t hit !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sam Fernando / July 27, 2017
I have no doubt you make it from your other end, just because RK ‘s activities being revealed, we cant attack entire UNPrs tobe repsonsible for this.
Country is filled with all highly abusive politicians. President Sirisena Camp you will find all former highly corrupted men.
So is the case at least to someextent in the camp of RW
If only the lankens could import good less abusive men to the country to run the country, they can relieve to some extent. Else, almost a dead cancer has metastasized all over the body, not many remain wihtout being abusive by thei rown way inthis country.
People two are even more corrupted. They refelct their agents being sent to the parliament. So lanken problems would never see its RESOLVE mode easily.
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nalmen / July 25, 2017
what has happened to the money laundering case that the central bank filed against ravi
the money was sent according to rumours by raj rajaratnam
is that the source of his new found wealth- many questions arise
who are the new owners of sunday leader
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Kushuru / July 25, 2017
What about the Mansion off of the beautiful Parliament road next to the Lake? Bought up all the adjacent people’s plots via intimidation and collection agents calling and harassing people. Wife is alleged to be the collector of cash. 200MILLION rupee mansion with swimming pool. .All on the frugal savings of being a fired Accountant we are to believe?
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Kushru / July 25, 2017
This sort of thing has been going on since 1948. Mostly by letting political leaders use cars, or donating cash in bags for elections or giving Lorries for campaigns etc or just picking up the tab. All of the top leaders UNP or SLFP did it. That is why in case of RW he is loyal to AM, and Malick S and of course Eran W who was the money bags for this time round. So many cases when it was at lower level. The issue is patronage and favors. Sinhala buddhist mudalalis used to back SLFP and Bandas; Mrs B used to be given Ramya Mudalalis Benz to go it; and sponsor them. Harry J provided patronage to the Bandas and also RW etc but that is also with personal loyalty because of how he benefited from the help. It is the same everywhere. If there is a lack of ethics rules and codes of conduct and no tax base, all this is informal cash. Some who worked for former Presidents used to pilfer cash from the millions given to them to give to the Presidential candidate. So for every million say a guy takes 100,000 from the gunny sack, he gets a few millions really fast. This was the case in 1994. The winning candidate knows such people. Same with RW etc. He protects AM and others and Malick is the main money bags for RW. All in the game. Trump behaves the same way.
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Kumaran / July 26, 2017
No, by no means. Politicians were given cars by JRJ in 1978/9 after the 1977 elections. Till then, Ministerial cars were in a pool for official work. Only the President and prior to that, the Governor General had official cars. Mrs. B had a pool car mostly but her personal car was something else. Corruption started with the Mahaweli in 1979/83 but really boiled over in the MR era. NOW, its uncontrolled and mind-boggling.
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Mewan / July 25, 2017
Wow – Forget about the legality of this transactions and all surrounding issues, just the tax implications by itself is mindboggling. Ravi got a benefit of over 9 million for which he should have been taxed (and I am sure he wasn’t). Then this Anika lady received a payment of Rs165 million. There should be considerable capital gains tax paid on that payment. It goes beyond that – how did these people amass so much wealth just have an investment property worth over $1m. Just imagine how much their own residence is worth. Would the tax department not be interested in these people? Dust off their tax file (if they have one) and see whether everything is in order?
Then there is the issue of previous rentals – for how long has this penthouse been rented at $8000/month. Has this income been reported by lady Anika? And who rented it at these rate? If they are Sri Lankans should they not be investigated to find out how they managed to afford these exorbitant rents? The only reason we all know about this is because this investigation – if not for that everyone would be merrily going about their business of scamming people.
Just coming back to the issue of legality – any other country the minister would have resigned by now or fired by the PM. But nothing will happen and all involved will weather this crisis and move on. The problem is that we have people running the country who would be lucky to find a job as a janitor in any other decent country.
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Kalu Nangi / July 25, 2017
Very good point….This Anika lady should also be investigated by the tax authorities. Most high end leases are not registered at the Land Registry since the landlords do not want to get caught for income tax. Wasn’t the father of this Anika lady, Nahil Wijesuriya close to the Rajapakshas in the past? We can sense a hidden hand of the Rajapakshas in this latest googly!!
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Lankan / July 25, 2017
To be honest we in Sri Lanka do not have much of a choice between the two main parties. On one hand we have the overly ethnic nationalist party that claims to be left wing but is not (the SLFP/UPFA). Then on the other side we have the current ruling party (the UNP and allies) who are overly capitalistic and believes in a neo liberal ideology that benefits the few and not the majority.
Overall I don’t think that either party is a good choice for the country. I personally think that a new party needs to be formed based on social democratic values that is inclusive to all races, castes, religons and classes.
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Spring Koha / July 26, 2017
Lankan has hit the nail on the head.
The ‘old’ parties are jaded and now plagued with hangers on, shysters and crooks. Their leaders are hamstrung when electoral nominations come.
WE the People need a new influx of politician; younger, with no baggage, competent, and committed to serve the people (and country) rather than themselves. At the same time the country needs to be educated along the lines that politics is about competent administration rather than ‘safeguarding’ religion and ethnic divisions. Our new politics must be about inclusivity rather than division. A big ask, but we must rise to the challenge.
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Matilda Ellepola / July 25, 2017
interestingly Anika W’s FB and Linkedin accounts are deactivated.
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Manel / July 25, 2017
It is sad that our nation is cursed by corruption, especially at the leadership level.
It seems they don’t have a basic sense of honesty, and concern for the people. It is constantly a case of trying rip someone off, and most of the time it is the people who have to face the consequences of politicians who say one thing, and do the complete opposite. How can this nation progress and succeed, when administration after administration, they resort to high levels of corruption, and work to enrich themselves and their family members? There is no hope for this country.
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bo / July 25, 2017
“under the Monetary Law Act No.58 of 1949 (MLA), the Central Bank is a semi-autonomous body and, following the amendments to the MLA in December 2002, is governed by a five-member Monetary Board, comprising the Governor of the CBSL as chairman, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Planning and three members appointed by the President of Sri Lanka, on the recommendation of the Minister of Finance, with the concurrence of the Constitutional Council.”
So Ravi was the political master of the Central Bank during the bond scam? Does it mean that the man who was supposed to protect the national assets, and those of certain pension funds, ended up as the man that might connived with the raiders and have opened the doors to them to let them raid the bank. So what was his cut for inside dealing and keeping quiet as if he was so innocent? Was the cut just 90 million or 165 million? Was it possible for a minister to save 165 million from his salary, even he received it throughout his life? What has the Revenue and taxation Department got to say about this expenditure and where he got his money, and if tax has been paid on this income? The mystery deepens. Bond scam, an inside job of immense scale involving the Minister himself? The public are asking questions.
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Kumaran / July 26, 2017
The Royal motto goes, “Learned of men and learned of books and learned to play the game”.
1. Royal should be ashamed and remove Ranil and this man Ravi from the records, and do so publicly.
2. What a horrible disgrace. RK should be charged and convicted. How these corrupt people can even face their minor staff beats me.
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Jimsofty / July 26, 2017
There can not be law and order in Sri lanka. If there so, more politicians get caught. So, this way is better in order for them to stay VVIPs. If not they will be in jail.
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SAM / July 26, 2017
This is not the first and certainly not the last instance of mass fraud by a minister and he will never be punished. Not a day of jail time will he serve. We must learn to understand how the system works. The money in developing countries is easier to steal this this. A small time crook has turned into a biog time crook. That simple. Friedrich Nietzsche said “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” He is very right. This man will only get stronger.
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Vasantha Cooray / July 26, 2017
So these are the people (Arjuna Mahendran, Aloysius, Ravi, Malik, Sagala,Kiriella) are the people
Mr Clean alias Ranil Wickramasinghe has been defending stoutly in Parliament. Ranil has no
shame. He is no leader. He can only lead his Royal College mates and his bosom pals who are
otherwise useful to him. This country has no future the way things are going.
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N .Wimaladasa / July 26, 2017
CB Bond scam led by leader UNP– Ranil. Wicks created that new-rich UNP- crony Capitalist.
They were looted billions of rupees belongs citizens of Island by Tax payers funding for UNP financial health, as well as the capital for lost UNP- businessmen to regain their business.
That is why Milak Smarawickrama -President, Ravi Raruranyake –Vice President, and Kaber Hussan of UNP General Sectary has been to Central Bank Building for Meeting on 27 February 2015 of that having on discussed the Bond Issues of with CB Governor.
By Clear instruction and directive given by Primer Ranil Wicks to CB governor at that time. Main culprit is Ranil Wick of President on UNP and Primer of Govt. of Sri lanka. This was an open fraud and corruption by Primer ,he should be charge by criminal offence and committed crime of Public Funds of Citizens of
Sri lanaka. These Chagres against Premier need to be address promptly by Ministry of Justice and Attorney General of Sri lanka. . This not a pure political issues, that national interest is concern of clean politics for the Democracy , hence as well as Financially commitments of Rule of Fair Justice to all citizens. Citizens power is remain key pillar of Democracy of Our future values.
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janaka / July 27, 2017
Is this worse than helping hambantota?
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Adrian / July 28, 2017
It’s time the Colombo Telegraph looked in to the President’s daughter’s Advertising Agency, ‘Media Gang’. Check out how they obtained all those Government accounts. Were they awarded because of their Credentials or for other reasons?
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Jim Softy / July 29, 2017
[Edited out]
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Punchi Point / July 31, 2017
Put them in the Welikada penthouse. Two fatties sitting like two innocent people, while robbing and cheating. Just disgusting. These people are just plain and pure thieves. The country is getting poorer by the day. People are starving. Criminality is rising. Mothers and fathers are committing suicide because they can’t feed their children, and these thieves want Penthouses. Why allow super luxury apartments at all in a country with such poverty?
Put them in jail, then no need to resign. Make the judicial process as short as possible and save some money. We don’t want to hear or know their excuses for having to rob and cheat. All these rogues are costing way too much otherwise too.
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