$2.5M Sent to Fraudulent Party Without Verification

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has submitted further findings to the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court regarding the controversial transfer of 2.5 million US dollars from the Central Bank to a fraudulent entity.

The case was taken up before Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasekara, where CID presented an update on the progress of the inquiry. 

Investigators revealed that officials attached to the Department of External Resources, responsible for handling loan repayments, had processed the payment without verifying the original agreement or conducting basic due diligence.

According to the CID, the payment had been executed based solely on an invoice received via email, purportedly from an entity named Export Finance Australia. 

During the court proceedings, investigators further informed that all relevant data from the server system connected to the transaction had now been successfully extracted. Four compact discs containing these digital records have been prepared for advanced forensic analysis.

The CID requested court approval to forward the material to the Computer Forensics Division of the University of Colombo for a detailed technical examination, which was subsequently granted by the Magistrate.

The investigation has so far recorded statements from 42 individuals in connection with the incident. 

The CID also presented a copy of the post-mortem report of Ranga Nishantha Rajapaksha, an Assistant Director of the Department of External Resources who had been suspended from duty in relation to the incident and later died. 

Investigators further informed court that the Attorney General’s Department is expected to formally represent the case in upcoming proceedings.

The case has been fixed for hearing again on July 8.