Priyamali defrauded Rs. 1.3 Bn
Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage yesterday ordered the owner of Thico Group Private Ltd Thilini Priyamali, her business partner Isuru Bandara, Ven. Borelle Sirisumana Thera and the Executive Director of the KRISH Group Janaki Siriwardena, who have been remanded on charges of defrauding businessmen of millions of rupees, to be further remanded till November 30.
First, Thilini Priyamali, Ven. Borelle Sirisumana Thera, Isuru Bandara and Janaki Siriwardena were presented before the Magistrate via Skype. The Magistrate rejected bail applications filed by the defendants.
When the nine cases against the suspects were taken up before the Magistrate, the Criminal Investigation Department informed the Magistrate that Thilini Priyamali had obtained two National Identity Cards and two passports by submitting two Birthdays.
It has been revealed that Thilini Priyamali has threatened several people not to lodge complaints against her. The Criminal Investigation Department informed the Magistrate that Thilini Priyamali had allegedly defrauded Rs. 1.3 billion.
The CID further stated that Isuru Bandara had obtained Rs.40 million from Janaki Siriwardena’s office. He has exchanged the said amount to US dollars (US$ 120000) from a special foreign currency exchange center in Colombo. The suspect Isuru Bandara brought the aforementioned dollars to Thico Company in two suit cases. The CID further highlighted that it has not been so far possible to reveal what was happened to these money.
Investigations have further revealed that Thilini Priyamali had worked with a Kattadiya from Galle.
Attorney-at-law Dasun Nagashena appearing on behalf of fraudster Thilini Priyamali and Ven. Borelle Sirisumana Thera told the Magistrate pleaded his clients to be released on bail. He also noted that his client Thilini Priyamali has been in remand custody for more than one month. He also told the Court that his client (Priyamali) faced severe prejudice due to media reports published by certain media institutes.
The Counsel requested the media institutes to report facts pertaining to the incident following the relevant media ethics. He further stated that Ven. Sirisumana Thera had donated one of his kidney at the age of 18.
President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis appearing on behalf of Janaki Siriwardena stated that it has been mentioned in further report that former Governor Azath Salley had introduced Thilini Priyamali to the first complainant. He also stated that the charges filed against his client are bailable offenses. He further pointed out that his client Siriwardena have not interfere with the ongoing investigation.
President’s Counsel Maithree Gunarathne appearing on behalf of the aggrieved party stated that it was shame to call the second suspect a Buddhist monk.