Golden Key auditor remanded by judge

By Manopriya Gunasekara

(January 16, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Golden Key Credit Card Co auditor was remanded on Friday by the Mount Lavinia Chief Magistrate while all the directors in the company, including Ceylinco Chairman Lalith Kotelawala, were ordered to give statements to the CID by next Tuesday.

S. Nallenthuwan, the company’s 78-year-old auditor, was remanded till January 30 for allegedly forging the books of the company which crashed recently when depositors agitated to return their money. Deputy Chairman Michael Khavan Perera, Finance Director Saradha Sumanasekara and Manoj Chaminda Jayalath of Ceylinco Insurance were also further remanded till the same day in connection with the alleged Rs.26 billion financial scam.

Chief Magistrate Harsha Setunga directed Mr Kotelawala and other directors of Golden Key to appear before the CID and make statements by January 20. The court also ordered the company to submit all the names of the depositors by the next hearing date.

C.R. de Silva, counsel for Mr Kotelawala, said the company has begun paying depositors and so far 251 depositors have been paid totalling Rs 31 million. Court was also informed that Sicille Kotelawala, Lalith’s wife who is also a director, was absent and counsel said she was in Singapore for medical treatment. - Sri Lanka Guardian