Law should be equal to relatives and non relatives – Advocate S.L. Gunasekera
Wednesday, 04 July 2012

First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa it is learnt is angered by a comment made by Advocate S.L. Gunasekera to an English weekly newspaper about her brother, SriLankan Airlines Chairman, Nishantha Wickremasinghe. Gunasekera has said he law should be initiated against Wickremasinghe for the illegal possession of foreign currency and that the delay in implementing the law was surprising.

Gunasekera has said in the interview that the incident related to the SriLankan Airlines Chairman was a clear example that the law did not apply equally to everyone in the country.

Gunasekera has pointed out that since a case has been filed before court against Sarath Fonskea’s sister-in-law, Ashoka Thilekaratne for possessing foreign currency without approval, similar action should have been initiated against the SriLankan Airlines Chairman.

According to Gunasekera, SriLankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe is one of his close relatives, but he would not stand to protect him.

Wickremasinghe explaining the foreign currency that was in his possession has told The Sunday Times that the Rs. 40 million worth foreign exchange and the Rolex watch were gifts from his sons in Australia.

In the event a person is carrying over US$ 2,000 foreign currency to the country, it is mandatory to register the amount with the Customs.

Sources from the Customs say that there has not been any record in within the past year of either Wickremasinghe’s sons or any other family member bringing foreign currency worth US$ 2,000 into the country from overseas.