Extortion charges:

Prasanna grilled

by Staff reporter

Western Province Chief Minister, Prasanna Ranatunga has been extensively questioned by the Financial Crimes Investigations Department (FCID) over alleged charges of extortion, top police sources said.

According to the sources, also associated with the preliminary investigations that resulted in Ranatunga being required to record a statement, the matter involves an alleged demand of Rs. 64 million and securing such money through 11 cheques, drawn in favour of the Chief Minister’s spouse, Morin Ranatunge and a relative.

The complaint against Ranatunga was lodged by Gehad Mendis, a director of Silicon Technologies (Pvt) Ltd, a company importing security cameras and other high tech equipment.

The FCID is currently conducting investigations. On Thursday (2) Morin Ranatunga was summoned to the FCID and questioned for around seven hours.

According to the complaint, the alleged bribe had been demanded in connection with a land deal that required the investor to seek the services of the provincial administration.

Silicon Technologies had purchased a land at No.251/9, Meetotamulla Road, Kolonnawa to set up a container yard and warehouse. The investor had sought WPC’s assistance to remove unauthorised dwellers on the land.

The investor had also checked on the possibility of renting out the container yard and the warehouse to the WPC after completion, for which purpose, the investor company sought the Chief Minister’s assistance, police sources said.

It is learnt that the Chief Minister had helped the investor in the clearance of land and permitted to rent the property at Rs. 2.25 million a month.

However, it is learnt that the Chief Minister had allegedly demanded a share from the profit of the business. On January 17, 2014 an agreement was entered into, by the investor, Chief Minister’s wife Morin Ranatunga and another relative Christine Wanigasekara. In this agreement, the investor had agreed to share 31 percent of the profit with other parties, on behalf of Prasanna Ranatunga.