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Police arrest Krrish CEO over financial fraud links
ECONOMYNEXT –The head of the controversial Krrish development, Janaki Siriwardhana, was arrested Friday in connection with a multi-billion-rupee fraud that also involved sex, lies, video tapes and blackmail.A top police source said Siriwardhana was arrested following extensive investigations into a scam operated by her close associate Thilini Priyamali who is already in remand custody.
Hours before the latest arrest, police investigators said they had evidence that an eye watering 600 million rupees had been given to Wesley Keerthi Kumara, a “kapuwa”, or shaman in Galle by the two women.
The staggering cash was ostensibly the fee for a ritual to boost flagging apartment sales at Krrish, now known as “One Transworks Square,” an investigator said adding that they were flabbergasted by the amount of cash that had changed hands.
“This is the claim, but what was actually taking place was a systematic money laundering operation,” an investigator said asking not to be named.
He said a powerful political figure was known to be a close business associate of Siriwardhana who had directed gullible businessmen and women to Priyamali and her scams. Former Colombo mayor Azath Salley has lodged a complaint that he was introduced to Priyamali by Janaki Siriwardhana and has been demanding her arrest for weeks.
Businessman Clarence Kumarage who is known to have bought doctorates and knighthoods from dubious organisations has parted with some 750 million rupees believing that he was investing it in a money doubling venture.
Priyamali was allegedly selling dollars at below market price and when greedy businessmen gave her huge amounts to buy more dollars at her unbelievably low rate, she decamped with the cash. Those who came after her were either silenced through blackmail or given fake gold bars.Buddhist monk Borelle Siri Sumana who warned Kumarage that his cash, stashed in a suit case, was giving out bad vibes and that it should be “invested” with Priyamali was arrested on Thursday on a charge of aiding and abetting financial fraud.
Police believe that they will be able to get at powerful figures behind Priyamali following the arrest of Siriwardhana, the alleged conduit for money laundering transactions.Both Siriwardhana and Priyamali are known to have been frequent visitors to Temple Trees when Mahinda Rajapaksa was president. Victims have told police they were scammed into thinking that the Rajapaksa family backed them.
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
