Channa and Upuli deny charging Rs. 15m

25 October 2015 03:00 pm

Popular artistes Channa and Upuli Wijewardena, the owners of Channa-Upuli Dance Academy today rejected reports that they had been given over 15 million rupees for their dancing performances at the opening ceremony of phase one of the Hambantota Harbour.

Issuing a media statement, they said they had been given Rs. 6. 8 million for their contribution at the opening ceremony.

"We have provided all the relevant documents in this regard before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC), to prove we had been given only Rs. 6.8 million," the statement said.

The statement said the Academy had to recruit about 200 dancers for the performances and stay in Hambantota for two months prior to the opening ceremony. It also said they had to provide accommodation facilities for 250 artistes during the same period.

The two artistes appeared before PRECIFAC on Thursday to give a statement on the amount of money they had received as fees for performing at the opening ceremony.

The statement further said the reports that they had charged Rs. 15 million rupees had attempted to portray them as wrongdoers.