News
Conman who cheated women out of millions of rupees arrested
By Norman Palihawadane
Galgamuwa police, on Sunday, nabbed a 48-year-old person for duping over dozen of Lankan women working in West Asian countries by promising to marry them and cheating them of out millions of rupees.
The suspect posed as an army officer.
Galgamuwa OIC Chief Inspector M. M. S. Pushpakumara said that they had received a complaint from a woman returning home from abroad on 11 March that her money and valuables had been taken away by her lover whom she came to know from Facebook and WhatsApp.
In her complaint she said that she and the suspect had been in love and he had promised to marry her on her return. She used to send him money to an account of a private bank for the construction of a house. On the day she returned, the suspect went to the airport and picked her up. Thereafter they went to a lodge at Meegashandiya to spend the night. The following morning she found that the man was missing with Rs 750,000 in cash, jewellery worth Rs 264,300, a mobile phone worth Rs 120,000 and some other valuables belonging to her.
CI Pushpakaumara said that his junior investigators found CCTV photos of the suspect withdrawing cash from ATMs and images of him and the victim woman drinking tea in the verandah of the lodge. When the investigators checked the bank account number details they found that it belonged to a 76-year-old person living in Galnewa. The man confessed that one of his friends helped him open a bank account but was not aware that the account was functioning and his friend was using his debit card. He confirmed the friend and the suspect in the photos were the same. Investigators then traced the whereabouts of the suspect, and found that he lived in a house at Walaswewa, in Nikaweratiya, and reared cattle, and earned a daily living by engaging in agricultural activities.
Following his arrest on Sunday and subsequent questioning, the police found information about 12 other women friends working abroad maintaining friendships with the suspect. He had obtained money from each of them by promising to marry them when they returned home. He had several debit cards but none in his name.
Police recovered the mobile phone, jewellery and Rs 650,000 cash taken away by the suspect from his latest victim.
The OIC said the raid had been carried out under the supervision of Nikaweratiya Division SSP Wasantha Jayamini Kumara, and Galagmuwa ASP SPJSK Rajapakshe. The raiding party included CI Priyantha Jayasiri, PS 29457 Senarath, PS 31163 Jayathilake, PS 383650 Rajapakshe, PS 75623 Herath and PC 95529 Semasinghe.
The suspect was produced before Galgamuwa Magistrate and remanded until 26 March.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
