Commenting on the legal battle against JO Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila, wife of foreign investor Brian Shaddick, Janet Elizabeth Shaddick said the couple was disheartened by the practical difficulties they faced in continuing the case which was being prolonged due to inherent issues in the legal system.
Speaking at a press conference in Colombo yesterday, Shaddick said they had not pursued legal action during the past regime due to political influence and threats. With the change of government they had hoped for justice to prevail.
“The procedure adopted in giving evidence requires us to make multiple trips between the countries incurring excessive costs. At this rate, it will at least take another 10 to 15 years for the case to conclude”, a discouraged Janet Shaddick told the media. Speaking at length during the press conference she explained how Parliamentarian Gammanpila and Sydney Jayasinghe had allegedly sold the investor’s shares by forging a power of attorney.
She alleged that Gammanpila had entered politics using money obtained through illegal means and that prior to this incident he had been serving Brian Shaddick’s company in the capacity of an office boy. Brian Shaddick an Australian investor was one of the main investors in Sri Lanka back in the 1990s.