Probe against Lankan diplomat

14 March 2010 10:08 am

By Jamila Najmuddin

The Foreign Ministry has launched an inquiry into the alleged episode of a Sri Lankan diplomat who served in Japan having shipped back to Colombo his landlord’s personal belongings including an expensive wall painting, a piano and an antique clock. 

Foreign Ministry sources told Daily Mirror online that despite the accusations, the diplomat when questioned by the Ministry has denied all the allegations claiming he had only shipped back his things and nothing of the landlord’s.

However the Daily Mirror online learns that if the diplomat is found guilty, the Ministry will immediately demand him to ship back the items belonging to the Japanese landlord at his own expense.

Sources said that this particular diplomat was a political appointee and a ‘contract officer’ who served in Japan as a Minister Counselor and had returned back to the country around 5 months ago after serving his term.

Soon after his return back to Colombo, the source confirmed that the Japanese landlord had contacted the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry and had alleged that the diplomat had shipped back some of his (the landlord’s) personal belongings such as a piano, an antique clock and an expensive wall painting and demanded that his items be shipped back to him immediately.

Soon after the complaint had been lodged, the Ministry had launched a full scale investigation.

The landlord has alleged that the piano and the expensive painting were his personal property. He has also said that the antique clock was of great sentimental value to his family since it has changed hands from generation to generation. (Daily Mirror online)