CWE Garlic scam: Businessman arrested and remanded

September 25, 2021

A businessman arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting to remove two containers with 54,000 kilograms of garlic belonging to Lanka Sathosafrom the Port container yard was yesterday ordered to be remanded till September 28 by the Welisara Magistrate's Court. Suspect Welaudam Sri Dharan, the sole proprietor of S.K Traders, was arrested on charges relating to aiding and abetting, criminalbreach of trust, concealing information and the unlawful release of goods. The suspect was produced before Welisara Magistrate Heshanthade Mel. Counsel Darshana Kuruppu appearing with Buddhika Thilakarathne, Chinthaka Udadeniyaand Shabhani Kaluugamage, told the court that their client's uncle has gone to Sri Lanka Port Authority to submit the relevant documents for an auction scheduled for 08.09.2021. The objective was to buy uncleared perishable cargo containers lying at the CICT yard, as per a notice published in a national newspaper. Then, Sri Lanka Ports Authority has informed my client's uncle that Lanka Sathosa Limited, has already bought the containers. An official of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority has subsequently given the mobile number of an officer attached to Lanka Sathosa Limited to see whether he can buy garlic from Sathosa. Then my client's uncle had passed this information to another businessman. Through this businessman, a well-known businessman has bought the garlic containers. DefenceCounsel Kuruppu contended that his client has no knowledge about the fraud and further said there is no iota of evidence against his client that he aided and abetted to commit any offence. Meanwhile, the defence counsel alleged that police arrested his client without arresting the real perpetrators involved in the fraud. The Special Crimes Investigation Unit of the Peliyagoda Police is conducting further investigations. On a previous occasion, the Deputy General Manager of the Sathosa Financial Division had been arrested and remanded in connection with the illegal removal of two containers with 54,000 kilograms of garlic.

CWE Garlic scam: Businessman arrested and remanded

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