Alleged jumbo broker remanded

A man who allegedly posed as a broker who supplied elephants and tuskers to the President was ordered to be remanded till January 3 for allegedly cheating a businessman of Rs.3.3 million by promising to bring him a baby tusker from Myanmar.

The suspect was arrested by a Special Investigations Unit attached to the Colombo Crimes Division based on a complaint lodged by a businessman in Minuwangoda. The complainant had told police that the suspect promised him to bring a baby tusker from Myanmar using the close ties he had with the President. According to the complaint, the suspect had told the complainant that a baby tusker would cost more than Rs.7.5 million and sought an advance payment of Rs.3.3 million.

The complainant further told police that though he paid Rs.3.3 million as an advance payment, the suspect did not fulfill his promise as agreed. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)