Foreign job agency head refused bail
 

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe and Kapila Somaratne

One of the masterminds in the western province who allegedly cheated several persons by accepting large sums of money to the tune of Rs. 3.5 million by promising to send them to Australia was refused bail and was further remanded by the Panadura Magistrate.

The main accused in this case is the Chairman cum Managing Director of a private foreign employment agency in Panadura. The other accused in the case are four directors of the company who were bailed out earlier.

The main suspect was arrested by the Special Crime Information Bureau (SCIB) of the Panadura police on a complaint by G. Tilakaratne some time ago. He complained to the police that the suspect had taken Rs. 355,000 by promising to send him to Australia.

The suspect also had collected sums ranging from Rs. 350,000 from people by promising them passage to Australia.

According to police the suspect was a seasoned con man who had cheated several persons in the past. Inquiries reveal that the suspect had Overseas Employment Agency offices in the Western Province where he is alleged to have defrauded several people. The case will be taken up on August 21.