MiG deal; Udayanga received funds from Panama, Latvia: FCID

8 April 2017 10:38 am

The FCID informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday that a few of the bank accounts belonging to Sri Lanka's former ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga had received funds from Panama and Latvia.

It said this during the inquiry into the controversial purchase of Ukraine-built MiG-27 aircraft in 2006 causing a huge loss to the State and pointed out that the sources of the funds were questionable.

The FCID said the suspect was said to be residing in the UAE and that an international warrant had been issued for his arrest.

Counsel appearing for the Air Force informed Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne that they were still unable to locate the original purchase contract said to have been signed in the presence of the suspect.

The FCID said its investigations had revealed that funds amounting to a total of US$1.5 million had been deposited at various times to the 16 accounts belonging to him at two private banks. (Shehan Chamika Silva)