Local media had not been allowed to cover the raid carried out by Hikkaduwa wildlife officials on the baby elephant that was being held at the Ambalangoda residence of Sajin de Vass Gunawardena.
Vass
The Wildlife officials had raided Sajin’s residence on Monday afternoon, which the media had been allowed to cover. The residents had not submitted the permit which is required to legally hold an elephant domestically and had requested the officials to return on Tuesday in order to submit the necessary documents of proof of ownership.
According to the regulations of the Fauna and Flora Ordinance any individual who holds an elephant domestically is bound to present documents of ownership including the permit immediately at any point if demanded by the Wildlife Department.
However, when the Wildlife Department officials visited Sajin’s home yesterday, a group of individuals who stood by the gate of Sajin’s residence had only permitted the Wildlife officials to enter and had prevented the media from entering the premises to cover the raid.
The Wildlife officials who returned in a few minutes, said the necessary documents were submitted and that the baby elephant had been bought by the former Monitoring MP of External Affairs for Rs. 10 million.
Animal activists expressed their disappointment and concern about this ‘raid’, describing the effort as a ‘post-election show’ while stating if the law was properly executed, the officials should explain as to why the necessary documents were not submitted by the owners yesterday since the law demands it.
Meanwhile, Sajin’s Ambalangoda home had been attacked last night with petrol bombs.
FAMOUS449 / January 14, 2015
How home this scoundrel is still at large when the general public along the police say that he had violated the law in regard to so many things in the country.
Is he above the law?
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lenny / January 14, 2015
I believe that the wheels are in motion and sooner rather than later this baby elephant will be behind bars.
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Ben Hurling / January 14, 2015
Baby Elephant belongs in a national park with its’ herd.
What a crime it is to abuse an innocent, helpless animal in this fashion.
Is this monkey a so called “Buddhist” as well? On top of everything else? With a mile of “Pirith Nool” around his wrist? Buddhism absolutely discourages animal abuse in all its forms.
Cheers!
PS: Please rescue the baby elephant and release it to the wild. Where it will grow up happily among humane wild animals.
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sama / January 14, 2015
Ben @,
on my short stay in home country few weeks ago, I clearly nootice that it has now become a fashion today wearing miles of pirith nool around their wrists even if some of them look world s culprits. I myself happened to see Mervin holding such a puja in the premises of Kelaniya temple. I could not get this at all, me being away from lanka for the last 3 decades. Anyway, many were used to say ” Budusarnai” after every word – also even after holding aggressive kind of conversations if we happened to raise the quesiton – as to why no law and order is there in the country today. This was last mid of Nov to early December.
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BBS Rep / January 14, 2015
I wish that the wildlife department raided and took the baby elephant called Sajin Vass. This elephant should then be kraald with other animals.
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lenny / January 14, 2015
I love your sense of humour, but honestly I think he should be kept in isolation as, any animal he is kept with will suffer.
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Snowden Edward Asange / January 14, 2015
Sajin is an OPPORTUNIST who wants to join the new govt so that he can get away. I hope MS & Co would be smart enough to distance themselves with sore loses like Sajin Johnston Wimal Aluthgamage Dayasiri….. ahhhh wonder where Chris Nonis is… Get these IDIOTS in the net, they made money while the country was burning.. and now trying to be the firemen who doused the fire… CHARGE these goons in a court of law ASAP and not after the 100 days. For the civic rights of these ASSES need to be taken away so that they would not be a hindrance to the progress of our nation…
I remember there was a mini Zoo in Ahungalla owned by one muslim chap named Mazahim. He had many animals and the wildlife officials came forward to have this closed. How come the same officials let Sajin “OWN” an elephant… An elephant is a national pride that need to be left in the wilderness. and not be in a gated compound… has the officials been shown a license or a few dollar notes I wonder…
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thrishu / January 14, 2015
The usual thing, probably wild life officials palms were lined with some gold inside the house, out of sight of the journalists! This goon & slave has learnt some tricks from his former master
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Seelawathi / January 14, 2015
I am also in your view that animals should not be kept with households. But did not we notice this even in the past that some business men holding them at their homes ?
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Snowden Edward Asange / January 14, 2015
further….. a beautiful case for the department of Inland revenue to work on. IF he has a 10 million spare cash to spend on an elephant, what is his net worth? Has he paid ALL relevant taxes? IF not charge him in courts… get all the ill gotten money and hand back to teh Central Bank to be used for teh betterment of the country… after all its the Public funds that they ALL swindled…
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lenny / January 14, 2015
If I am not mistaken, he has defrauded a couple of banks and they have filed action against him but he could not be hauled before courts due to the MR connection, but now with no immunity and coat tails to hang on, I believe he will pay the piper sooner rather than later
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JJ / January 14, 2015
Alcopne was finally jailed due to tax evasion and not for murder or racteering. Same should be done to the MR gang. Hit em in the pocket book.
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Matilda Ellepola / January 14, 2015
Why chase away for an innocent animal first,, is this the only corruption or misdeed that the YAHA-Palanaya types could see done by the evil MARA-Palanaya?
Why not do an investigation to find the 7 Helicopters that this royal pimp cum rogue money launderer owned in a short 9 years of his masters regime and make him a state witness and then get the Billions of Dollars that the master and his family swindled away from the public.
Imagine this rogue owning 7 helicopters and many other assets and houses all over his master may have swindled enough to buy at least 7 Airbus A-380 the biggest passenger jet we have seen.
Yaha-Palanaya dudes, its time for you to move on and make the victory a real victory for the masses and not to tell ‘Unuth Ekai’ and ‘Munuth Ekai’
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srinath.gunaratne / January 14, 2015
Yes, Investigate, We can see how much of them are really substantial or mere mud slinging! All I hear is accusations without iota of proof!
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Aia / January 14, 2015
The only way left now the baby eephant to grow up and trample this brat. He looks a middle aged aliya too. Where did he get the Rs10M, when the transaction was done, has he got the proof.
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Abimanu / January 14, 2015
A baby elephant in the residence of a “wild elephant”?– That is interesting!
–Both must be taken out and let in the jungles–where they belong!
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Sulochana Kobbekaduwa / January 14, 2015
As the new govt in SL is much closer to the Indian govt., it should seek help from its intelligence apparatus to get into the billions of dollars that the Rajapaksas and their henchmen have looted from Sri Lankan public.
I doubt the SL intelligence can do much with their reach is limited and with Indians work closely with US intelligence on War on Terror and other regional security issues, it is the best way that SL can track the loot and get it back to the national coffers as it happened in Phillipines afrer Marcos regime and other Middle Eastern countries that got away the dictatorships.
Imagine that loot of 5-10 Billion Dollars pump into the Education and vocational training and what a big change that will make for the masses.
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sirimal / January 14, 2015
Sulochana,
I have no doubt, this time, things would work to a rule of word though the newly elected men stay calm and quiet. I have no doubt with the backing of JVP and JHU nothing can go wrong atleast towards getting all perpetrators revealed. All the sums that had been abused will surely be bilions could use for the welfare of the poor/patients.
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K. C. John / January 14, 2015
According to reports, the permit produced had been issued in 2009.
Where was Sajin in 2009 and did he have the Rs. 100 lakhs reportedly paid for the permit at that time?
Dept. of Inland Revenue, what have you to say?
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Habakkuk / January 15, 2015
So could we conclude that Mytree was manipulated to be a winner by the almighty Mahinda himself to relive of the burden placed on them over their own family and his cabinet corruptions. Mytree is taking the Lankan omnibus for a jockey ride.
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Plato. / January 14, 2015
There was a list of properties owned by this Wharf clerk.The list included 7 helicopters.Punchinilame a regular reader of.CT gave a comprehensive account of these just prior to the Election.His attempts to join MS is for a cover up his unjust enrichment and also possibly spy on the MS Govt.This guy is the most ruthless of all of MRs catchers.Perhaps,punchinilame will list out all of Sajins possessions for the benefit of CT.readers.again.
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Brenden / January 14, 2015
Sajin has got protectors in the present government. Minister Rosie Senanayake will help him showing her gratitude for helping her daughter to find lucrative assignment at the Foreign Ministry.
Same way Daya Gamage will help him because of Major General Prasad samarasinghe. Sajin Vas is married to Major gENERAL Prasad samarasinghe’s niece. Prasad is now the Army Chief of Staff, a pet of Gotabaya. He worked out lucrative construction contracts for Daya gamage through Gotabaya.
There are wheels within wheels.
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Diogenes / January 14, 2015
Joseph Vaas was canonized. Sajin Vaas should be crucified!
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Matilda EllepolaS / January 14, 2015
How pity this scum had the same name of a saint.
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kumudu amaradasa / January 14, 2015
Elephant’s in Sri Lanka should be protected by the state and made a property of the state just like swans in the UK . If any one ill treats an elephant, illegal capture must be punished under penal code of Sri Lanka .
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Dr.Senarath / January 14, 2015
True stories about Sajin Vass by a doctor
I worked as a doctor at Base hospital Balapitiya in 2010 and experienced pathetic and shocking incidents.
1. A patient (said to be a member of leftist party) claimed after admission to the ward he was assaulted brutally by Sajin Vass’s supporters and later he succumbed to injuries despite the all efforts to save his life.
2. A poor fisherman was knocked down by his vehicle and he sustained life threatening injuries but he forced patient not to take legal actions.
3.One day he entered to the medical ward and took away a patient by force ,when medical staff questioned about the consequences he threatened and said , Secretary of the ministry (Dr.Ruberu is said to be his relative)is informed about the procedure. But health secretary has no power to allow for such a breach of law and it was a blatant lie.
4. One day he has threatened a doctor that he will be sacked if he does not oblige to his orders( asked to give priority for his supporter)
These are some of the things I have come across personally. However, I haven’t met him or even seen him. But people are scared to him and I have seen that his helicopter was landing to Amblangoda ground.
As I got the scholarship for further studies I left the Balapitiya before getting in to the troubles with politicians.
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punchinilame / January 15, 2015
I would not miss this opportunity of placing on record more information, subject to verification, reading your personal experience with this man SVG in your day to day work:-
The baggage-boy and the King jointly have done well – even a future COI will not be able to cope. Culled from comments in CT reveals this wealth:-1. 7 helicopters and a company called Cosmos Avaiation + Offices – $500,000 x 7 = $5,000,000 2 Owns a luxury 15 roomed luxury mansion at Horton Place Colombo 7 (with large swimming pool,jacuzzi and elevator facility – $500,000 2. 100 roomed Luxury Ameythist Resort in Passikudah – $2,000,000 4. Owns a 79 room resort in Maldives – $1,000,000 5. Owns a fleet of Benz,Jaguar,and other luxury vehicles. – $2,000,000 6. 23 room mansion in Toorak, Melbourne, in the millionaires’ row. – $3,000,000 7. The block of 16 apartments in Pitt Street, Sydney City Centre. – $2,000,000 8. Part owner of the racehorse Black Caviar, (Australian Thoroughbred undefeated in 25 races) with the Emir of Kuwait. – $2,000,000 9. A vineyard (350 Ha) in Borossa Valley, South Australia – $3,000,000 Totals only 20 M USD!!
Punchinilame Just to add to your excellent comment. 1. Sajin’s palatial house down Horton place Colombo 7 is located in the private road right opposite the Laksman Kadirgamr Institute of International Relations.It bears assement no.19/2.Just a look at the palatial house reveals it’s luxury.An unauthorized guard house at the top of the lane blocks free movement of cars on that road.The dozen or so of back up vehicles inconvenience the neighbourhood but no one dare complain for sheer fear. 2.Sajin is always provided with an escort by armed Commandos who always follow this rouge in 2 government owned Land Rovers.In addition a black Land Rover with thugs dressed in white short sell even shirt and black pants also follow .So tax payers are paying to protect a thug !!! 3.Sajin also owns the massive building down down Dudley Senanayake Mawatha ( formerly Castle street) Colombo 8.this building is located in the lane next to the MINI Showrooms, the first private road to the left as one travels from the Horton Place / Kynsey Road traffic light junction.The building is is the second to the right on that private road.It now houses KOICA a Korean company that pays Sajin Rupees three million a month.Formerly this building housed Cosmos Aviation Services which operates Sajin’s fleet of 7 helicopters.What a tragedy , afellow who could not afford to pay1800 bucks on his Volvo car fiancé now travels in one of his own helicopters when he visits his luxury 100 roomed Ameythist Resort in Passikudah. Who will inquire and punish this thug who has made millions out of the deal setting up Mihinlanka alone.
Plus Comments by Tommy in CT on 27-11-14 “ Don’t forget to add Sajin’s fleet of luxury vehicles such as 3 Black Range Rovers costing Rs. 60 million each, a Mercedes Benz 400SEL worth 58 million bearing registration no.CAA 6019 and a full option Maroon colored Jaguar worth Rs. 54 million and a Long wheel base Land Rover Defender bearing registration No.KC 2283 worth Rs. 31 million. The Mercedes Benz 400 SEL and the Jaguar were made bullet proof at an additional cost of US$ 431,000 a piece at an exclusive company in London specializing in such work.This project was handled by Sajin’s sidekick Mohamed Zuraish Hashim ,the chain smoking wheeler dealing businessman living at 63, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 3. Then don’t forget the US $ 9 million that Sajin made as commission for signing agreements with 3 US based Public Relations firms.The man coordinating this was Majintha Joseph Parakrama Jayasinghe who works in the Protocol Section of Foreign Ministry, as Sajin’s bag carrier.Jayasinghe works almost exclusively for Sajin , at a small private office at the BMICH , Colombo 7, paid by the foreign ministry.Majintha secretly revealed details of the deal to Ratnatunge of the Sunday Times who he got to know why working for Lakshman Kadirgamar, and being Baggage Boy for his wife Sughandhi.Sughandhi and Ratnatunge are extremely close friends Then don’t forget to look at stashed millions of dollars in the Seychelles where Sajin was responsible for opening an Embassy although Sri Lanka has no interests to have one there.”
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Mevan / January 14, 2015
A permit alone is not sufficient. There should be an account of the origins of the animal. Was it born in captivity? If not, was it captured and by whom? Under what circumstances did this guy acquire the elephant? What happened to the mother? And so on.
Apart from these questions, the Wild Life Department must be satisfied that the management of the animal is satisfactory.
All this information must be transparent and available to the public.
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Asanga Chris / January 15, 2015
Sajin de Vass Gonaa is a Ali Hora in more senses than just one!! CT readers know how this scoundrel had robbed on a mass scale that he now owns a palatial house at Horton Place Colombo 7 ( in the private road right opposite the Lakshman Kadirgamar centre)When this was exposed Sajin the coward left the place.When the fact that he owns a bullet proof Benz car worth over US $ 400,000 was exposed, Sajin illegally changed the number plate of this car bearing number CAA 6019 and had this number plate fixed to his BMW bullet proof car.
The rest of this thugs ill gotten wealth has been published before in CT worth millions of dollars.A detailed list with evidence is now under preparation.
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Asanga / January 15, 2015
We know that crook Majintha Jayasinghe of the Foreign Ministry who coordinated the illegal multi million dollar deal between Sajin and 3 US based Public Relations firms and Zuraish Hashim who handles the scum bag’s luxury properties in the Maldives have a lot to reveal and a lot to answer too
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Good Governance / January 16, 2015
Officials! Pooh! Their credibility is not worth a tuppence. Because of their poverty they are susceptible to all kinds of inducements. Clearly it is seen that the examination of documents did not take place under public scrutiny.
We talk of the independence of Public Service and Independent Commissions. Will that work with a bunch of poverty stricken fellows who has learned how to distort the truth. First priority should be the economic independence of public servants, as was done in Singapore, to free them from the clutches of corruption.
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Jayagath Perera / January 16, 2015
Economic independence of public servants. Good Point, Mr./Ms. Good Governance.
We have witnessed the independent stand taken by, say the Elections Commissioner, without the so called independent commissions. The IGP too functioned independently. What we need is people with independent minds who can uphold truth and justice.
We still can have independent commissions but if the average public servant is susceptible to various pressures what is the use of the independence of the commission. In a poverty stricken public service an independent commission is neither here nor there. Neither will a dole out of say Rs. 10,000 per public servant is of any significance. From the statements made by MP Eran Wickramaratne, he seems to have done some study of the public service. Cultivation of Integrity and Excellence among public servants is the need of the hour and the seed to it is the economic independence.
I must also add that I have witnessed the functioning of these so called independent commissions since the passage of the 17th amendment. It takes months to get a final result. The officials within the commission can influence the decision through well worded misleading minutes as the so called commissioners are gentlemen, aloof from reality.
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RASIKA / January 16, 2015
THIS DUBAI TAXI DRIVER HOW HE MADE BILLIONS AFTER JOINING RAJA CROOKS GOVERNMENT.
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amal / January 16, 2015
Shouldn’t the wild life department have a copy of this licence. If so why dont they publish a copy in the papers. They obviously raided as they did not have a record.
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kanga / March 12, 2015
Sajin had the guidens protection and the safety to do anything by the blessings of Mara Rajapaksha. Why blame him he is a crook any way.
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