United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila’s recent statement that he had never committed any offence in a foreign country was condemned by Australian national Brian Shaddick’s Power of Attorney Lasitha Perera on Friday.
Lasitha Perera made this observation at a media briefing in Colombo, responding to a statement by Udaya Gammanpila on Thursday before a judicial verdict being pronounced on the case filed against him on the allegation that he sold out the assets belonging to an Australian national Brian Shaddick on a fake power of attorney.
“Gammanpila denied any knowledge of Brian Shaddick or his identity. Now Gammanpila has accepted that Brian Shaddick had appointed him as power of attorney. From the beginning, Gammanpila made false statements. Gammanpila said that he had not committed any fraud in a foreign country. He has obtained money by selling Sri Lankan properties owned by a foreign national on a fake power of attorney,” Perera alleged.
Perera said Gammanpila has misappropriated AU$ 7 million which was the value of assets in Sri Lanka on a fake power of attorney. He had prepared the fake power of attorney in 1997 and committed the fraud in 2001. “I see the act as a disincentive for foreign investors. The case is pending in courts. There are two case numbers, and the Attorney General’s Department has made him an accused in the two cases. The evidence in the case is being heard in courts, and Brian Shaddick’s wife Jennet Shaddick is due to give evidence in the case. Before the judgement is given by the court, Gammanpila has pronounced the judgement.”
He said, “If somebody’s evidence is treated as false by the court, the case will not be proceeded with and that person will be acquitted and discharged. However, it didn’t materialise. He is trying to influence the courts. People will lose confidence in the judiciary in view of certain statements made by some officers of the Attorney General’s Department. Is this an attempt to have these cases dismissed by the courts? A lie is being spread that Brian Shaddick’s evidence has been treated as false by the courts by which Gammanpila is trying to create an opinion among the people. Nobody can utter lies about cases pending in courts, but this Attorney-at-Law Gammanpila is doing it.”
“Gammanpila always claims that he is a patriot, while his parents and sister are domiciled in America and have become American citizens, and his wife and children are in Australia. They are now Australian citizens. We regret his false display of patriotism. Gammanpila’s all assets and properties worth over five million Dollars are in Australia, Perera said.