This man has left Sri Lanka leaving behind investors who stand to lose about Rs. 5 Billion. Is he now in Australia?
The whereabouts of Sakvithi Ranasinghe aka Chandana Weerakumara are a total mystery. According to airport security, a person very much like him left the country last week.
However Airline and immigration records do not show any person of that name traveling abroad.
Is he in hiding in Sri Lanka or has be left the country using a fake name on a passport and airline ticket? The mystery deepens as he would have had to plan this well in advance, obtain a passport, visa, ticket and seat for the flight out of the country.
With the amount of money he has plundered, he could have easily purchased an identity using a birth certificate of another person of a smilar age bracket. Very easily done in Sri Lanka.
What has Chandana or Sakvithi, as he is also know, done to be so much in demand from the authorities, the public and the department of immigration?
He set up a bogus fund from an office in Nugegoda operating a joint business with Kalakeerhi Edwin Ariyadasa. Advertising heavily in newspapers and radio he promised a return of 25% to 30% on deposits. Low risk high return was his motto.
For centuries people have allowed commonsense to be obliterated by greed, this is just another case with the same modus operandi.
Starting off life as a professional tutor, Chandana struck on the idea of getting rich quickly. The advertisements caught the attention of the Central bank which wrote and cautioned him, yet he kept going with the ads.
Returns were paid quite smoothly for the first few months, after that calls to his office got the standard answer, "The cheque has come back, has your address changed?"
The current claims lodged with the police and the CID total over Rs. 5 Billion. Much more is said to be involved but the people are rich enough to forego the loss and not make a fuss thereby disclosing their greed to the public.
Sakvithi has been involved in other rackets for many years but this one is surely his magnum opus. Ariyadasa claims that he only allowed his name to be used and he too is a victim.
The Mirihana Police who are investigating Sakvithi Ranasinghe aka Chandana Weerakumara believe that the suspect has fled the country. Australia, Singapore and Malaysia have cropped up as possible destinations.
It is now confirmed that Interpol has been asked to help in locating and arresting this man.
If this man is seen, his whereabouts should be reported to the closest Sri Lankan Diplomatic office.