Former Minister Namal Rajapaksa and Sri Lankan businessman Nimal Perera have responded to the recent exposé of major corruption linked to the multi-million dollar hospital project in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.
Allegations were thrown at the two after Australia’s leading Investigative journalism program, Four Corners released a documentary, revealing Australia- based Aspen Medical’s embroilment in a top-level money laundering investigation after its involvement in the hospital project.
Four Corners said Aspen Medical’s first transaction in Sri Lanka was a payment of US$ 2.1 million to a mysterious British-Virgin Islands-domiciled company called Sabre Vision Holdings owned by a Sri Lankan.
Responding to the allegations thrown at him, MP Namal Rajapaksa said “once again a documentary has surfaced with allegations that myself & my family are connected to a transaction between 2 companies that we have no clue about.”
MP Rajapaksa further said the Yahapalana Government accused me of many things for which I am still going to court, adding that none have any connection to this.
Meanwhile, businessman Nimal Perera clarified that Sabre Vision Holdings, mentioned in the documentary, was a subsidiary of a diversified business entity founded in 1918 in Sri Lanka.
Stating that it was not owned by him, he said he was named a beneficiary when the company he was employed in acquired the company in question and later appointed him as the Managing Director.
“The Italian businessman mentioned in the article was introduced to me when I was looking to furnish my house. He owned an interior design company in Italy & had provided his services to many who could afford him. He died unexpectedly from an illness he thought was under control,” he further explained.
Nimal Perera accused the “investigative journalist” who inquired about the matter of having disguised himself as a crew member and gaining access to his home, adding “ he came at me like Al Capone in a bathrobe violating me in a variety of unsavory ways.”
The Sri Lankan businessman said, “Come through the right channels, get consent from the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka & I’ll invite you for some tea.”
“If Sri Lanka & Australia “investigative journalists” care to dig deep, to do some real reporting, they can get a transcript of the interviews at the FCID & learn & write the real story & save some journalistic integrity instead of printing such half-baked stories for cheap thrills,” he added. (NewsWire)