HiCop Director Wellington De Hoedt arrested and remanded
Colombo, 08 January, (Asiantribune.com):
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) conducting investigations into Presidential Candidate General Sarath Fonseka's son-in-law Danuna Tilakaratne’s alleged arms deal yesterday produced the Director of HiCop Co., Wellington De Hoedt, before the Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District Judge Lanka Jayaratne and remanded till January 20.
The suspect was arrested following a complaint made by Major General Manawaduge, Overall Operation Commander of Western Province and Puttalam Didtrict.
This Company HiCop is a Company run in SL with the same name of a Co. in America which was the centre of a storm of political controversy for its alleged link to a fraudulent arms deal involving the son in law of General Fonseka, as claimed by the Govt.
CID Chief Inspector Mohan Siriwardena who produced the suspect yesterday submitted a report to court and said investigations into the alleged arms deal has not been completed.
Chief Inspector Siriwardena said the director had forwarded several forged documents to Army authorities to obtain the contract to his company. The CID will submit a comprehensive report in connection with their investigations to court on the next date.
Attorney Asoka Weerasooriya, senior counsel for the suspect who appeared for the defence with Priyaranjana Jayasinghe and Kingsley Hettiarachi and Ajith Perera moving for bail submitted to court that his client had not committed any offence as reported in the reports submitted to court by CID.
Attorney Weerasooriya said none of the charges against his client had been proved beyond reasonable doubt by the CID. The case will be called again on January 20.
The Magistrate issued an order to the CID to arrange for the examination of the computers of the HICORP Co. by the University Computer Division experts.
The Director of HiCop Co., Wellington De Hoedt who was arrested by the CID in connection with a complaint of appropriating lands on forged documents was remanded until the 20th of this month by the Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne when he was produced in Court today (07).
The suspect was arrested following a complaint made by Major General Manawadu to the CID.
This Company HiCop is a Company run in SL with the same name of a Co. in America which was the centre of a storm of political controversy for its alleged link to a fraudulent arms deal involving the son in law of General Fonseka, as claimed by the Govt.
The CID forwarded a report to the Courts that by producing forged power of Attorney and spurious documents, the suspect has executed these transactions.
The Lawyer appearing for De Hoedt said , if the Police alleges that the documents are forged, it is the duty of the Police to prove it.
The Magistrate issued an order to the CID to arrange for the examination of the computers of the HiCop Co. by the University Computer Division experts.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
There were, and apparently
There were, and apparently there still are, de Hoedts in Sri Lanka. Many of them, just as in the case of numerous Sinhalese and Tamils, sought a better life in Australia thanks to the continual blunders of our politicians.
De Hoedt and HiCop Co. of Sri Lanka
Both names sound alien. May be it was the business objective of the founders of HiCop Co. in Sri Lanka to give the Company a foriegn look by giving it a foriegn link and having a local agent. But De Hoedt is a name that appears synonimous with Sri Lankans of Dutch origin. If HiCop Co., in Sri Lanka has no link with the US-baesd HiCop then the matter needs to be further investigated to find out whether HiCop Co in Sri Lanka was incorporated to decieve the Sri Lankan Authorities.
Wellington De Hoedt??? What
Wellington De Hoedt??? What the?? What kind of name is that? Is this guy from Sri Lanka (as in the one in the picture or is that Danuna Tilakaratne?).