‘Catch me if you can’

29 July 2011 02:29 pm Views - 5963

South Asian Games gold medal-winning athlete Ranga Wimalawansa who was remanded on charges of having defrauded another person of Rs.1.6 million on the promise of getting him an American visa was today released on bail by a Colombo Court.

The defence counsel told Court that the incident was alleged to have happened in 2006 but the complaint against the athlete had been made on June 21 this year and it was uncertain whether the case would be proceeded with because the complainant was living abroad.

Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne resleased the suspect under strict bail conditions and was ordered to surrender his passport to the Court.
In a complaint to the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), the complainant’s wife said her husband had paid former athlete Ranga Wimalawansa Rs.2.4 million to obtain an American visa but that though the money was paid no visa was forthcoming.

She had told the CCD that though the suspect had promise to pay back the full amount, he had only paid Rs.800,000. The CCD had told Court Mr. Wilmalawansa was a suspect in three other similar cases. The case was fixed for September 30.  (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)