Changed company name in fear of Gammanpila - Witness

Wife of Australian businessman Brian Shaddick said the name of her family company named Shaddick Group was changed to Digital Nominees in fear that Udaya Gammanpila would start a new business using their company name.

Witness Janet Elisabeth Shaddick, 69, was present before Colombo High Court A.A.R. Heiyanthuduwa yesterday. She is the third witness in the alleged financial misappropriation case filed against two accused including Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader MP Udaya Gammanpila.

Replying to a question by defence counsel Shavindra Fernando PC, the witness said her family decided to change the company name since Udaya Gammanpila and his family stayed in Australia on or around 2011 and 2012.

However, defence counsel informed court that Udaya Gammanpila and his family came to settle in Australia in December 2015 and suggested that the witness was giving false evidence.

However, the witness denied the fact that she is giving false evidence.

Witness Janet Elisabeth Shaddick, 69, was present before Colombo High Court A.A.R. Heiyanthuduwa in connection with an indictment filed against MP Udaya Gammanpila and Sydney Jayasinghe for allegedly misappropriating Rs. 21 million following their alleged fraudulent share transaction that took place in 2000. Further trial was fixed for October 5.

The Attorney General (AG) alleged that MP Udaya Gammanpila had cheated Rs.20 million and misappropriated another Rs.21 million along with Sydney Jayasinghe, the second accused when selling shares of Digital Nominees to a businessman called Dhammika Perera.

The AG further charged that the alleged business transaction had taken place using a fraudulent power of attorney to sell shares belonging to Australian businessman Brian Shaddick.

The AG had listed 20 persons as the witnesses in the case and named 16 documents as production items of the case. MP Gammanpila was arrested in this regard on June 18, 2016.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris with Senior State Counsel Nayana Seneviratne appeared for the Attorney General.

President’s Counsel Jayantha Weerasinghe with Shavindra Fernando and senior counsel Nalinda Indatissa appeared for the accused.