Gold worth Rs. 618.7 million Recovered by SINHALA Army in TAMIL Vanni East had been handed over to Bank of Ceylon & People’s Bank Nov 2009.!!!

SF’s claim of missing gold, cash countered
Gold valued at over Rs. 600 m handed over to banks

September 12, 2010, 12:00 pm

By Shamindra Ferdinando



Responding to former army chief Gen. Sarath Fonseka’s allegation that gold and cash recovered by the army is missing, military spokesman Major General Ubhaya Medawela says there is no basis for that claim.



DNA leader Gen. Fonseka told Parliament during the Emergency debate on September 7 that the whereabouts of gold and cash recovered by the army during clearing operations in the Vanni region were not known. He said that troops under his command had recovered 200 kilos of gold and a bigger stock after he had left the army.



An aide to Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya said that there hadn’t been any misappropriation of gold or cash, though some personnel who allegedly tried to steal gold had been dealt with under the former Army Commander’s tenure.



Maj.Gen. Medawela said that as Gen. Fonseka had admitted that the army recovered 200 kilos of gold under his tenure as the Commander, he should know what happened to the gold stocks better than anyone else.



The military spokesman emphasised that gold and cash recovered by the army in the Vanni had been categorised. The recoveries had been made in the presence of the police and neither the army nor the government had tried to misappropriate the gold.



Maj.Gen. Medawela said that on a request made by a family the army in the presence of the police recovered 25 gold biscuits in the Vanni. The Vavuniya police would be able to provide more information about the gold recovery, he said.



Government sources told The Island that those rescued by the army in April from Puthumathalan had brought a large quantity of gold and cash with them. Had the Opposition contacted State and private banks in the north, it would have been able to ascertain the amount of gold and cash deposited by civilians since May last year.



The Navy found in the possession of Sea Tiger leader Soosai’s family Rs. 575,000 (US $ 4,882.73) in cash and fifteen gold sovereigns when their boat was seized off Mullaitivu a few days before the final battle on the Nanthikadal lagoon.



Military sources said that a large stock of gold worth Rs. 618.7 million recovered by the army in the Vani east region had been handed over to the Bank of Ceylon and the People’s Bank last November.

island.lk

UPALI NEWSPAPERS (PVT) LTD
Copyright © Upali Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd.