|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 17 November 2002 |
 |
|
 |
News |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Zimbabwe arms-loss probe report : 'Army insider fraud'? by CHAMIKARA WEERASINGHE CID investigations into the disappearance of the vessel "Stillius Limasol", which was supposed to be hauling a consignment of mortars and other military hardware from Zimbabwe Defence Industries to the Sri Lankan Army in a government-to-government military arms deal in 1997 involving 6,399,000 US dollars, have revealed that there has been no ship by that name. Defence Ministry sources told the 'Sunday Observer' that they now suspect some military top brass in the Sri Lanka Army and Zimbabwe Defence Industry had defrauded the monies in this arms deal in the end phrase of the transaction and shared it among themselves. Defence Ministry sources stressed that there is no evidence to substantiate allegations against the LTTE as having captured the ship with a consignment of 32,398 - 81 mm mortars while being transported. Sources said that inquiries conducted with the assistance of Aitken Spence had confirmed that there is no ship by the name of Stillius Limasol or Stillius Limasol Victories in Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Meanwhile, it has also been established that no ship, in any case, carrying military hardware berthed in the Beira Port with a shipment of mortars to be transported through Mozambique for onward transportation to Colombo, as had been informed in writing to the Sri Lanka Army by Dr. Mrewa, Secretary of the Zimbabwe Defence Industry (ZDI), sources explained. Defence Ministry officials further said that Mrewa had said in his letter that they had obtained the approval of the Mozambique Government for the inland transportation of 81 mm from Harare to Beira port. According to reports on the investigation carried out by the Defence Ministry Committee, headed by Attorney-at-Law Dulinda Weerasuriya, appointed by Defence Minister Tilak Marapane, to look into corrupt military arms deals, Mrewa had forwarded this letter on his visit to Sri Lanka, where he had discussions with the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. As revealed in the reports, the ZDI Secretary Mrewa had come to get the LC pertaining to the transaction extended, which the Army had reportedly established with the Korea Exchange Bank with Kolon International Corporation in Korea as its beneficiary on a suggestion by ZDI officials. Sources said that as this was a government-to-government transaction, the LC had been extended from 15th April, 1997 to 25th May 1997. However, during the course of the inquiry, the Bank of Ceylon, taking charge from the Korea Exchange Bank had detected a lapse of 21 days in the negotiation period in the LC. Subsequently, the bank had sought authority from the Sri Lanka Army to release 1,871,143.75 US dollars in this connection. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
