The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered the Illicit Assets Investigation Unit to conduct investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act regarding model Piumi Hansamali and to report its progress to the court.
The relevant complaint was taken up before Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake today (21) following a motion filed by Piumi Hansamali’s lawyer.
When the motion was taken up, OIC of the Illicit Assets Investigation Unit, Mr. Sampath Rajakaruna, appeared in court in response to a previous notice issued by the court.
During the proceedings, Attorney Sumudu Hewage, representing Piumi Hansamali, stated in court that his client runs a cosmetics business and has sold products to over 34,506 customers through courier services.
The attorney pointed out that news reports published in all media outlets the previous day alleged that his client was purchasing cosmetics at a low price and selling them at a high price of thirty to forty thousand rupees. He claimed that these reports were completely false and were causing serious harm to his client’s business.
According to the lawyer, the police have begun summoning and questioning customers who purchased cosmetics from his client. As a result, customers are now scared and avoiding purchasing the cosmetics, severely damaging his client’s business.
The lawyer questioned what was wrong with his client, who works as a model, advancing to a higher level as a businesswoman. He also commented that if Ambapali were alive today, she would not have had the opportunity to become an Arahant (enlightened being).
Accordingly, the lawyer requested the court to issue the necessary orders to prevent the investigation from being conducted in a manner that would harm his client’s business.
Denying the allegations, Chief Inspector Sampath Rajakaruna, OIC of the Illicit Assets Investigation Unit, stated that Piumi Hansamali had sold her cosmetics to a group of people for more than Rs. 30,000 through courier services.
He further stated that on November 22, 2023, the Police Narcotics Bureau arrested a powerful cocaine trafficker, and investigations revealed a connection between the trafficker and Hansamali.
The Chief Inspector also noted that a luxury car belonging to Piumi Hansamali is still at the residence of this drug trafficker.
Therefore, the Chief Inspector emphasized that investigations needed to be conducted to determine whether Piumi Hansamali had actually sold cosmetics or some illegal substance through courier services. Statements must be recorded from the relevant individuals as part of the investigation.
The Additional Magistrate acknowledged that the police have the authority to record statements from individuals for investigative purposes.
Since the investigations are being conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the Additional Magistrate instructed the Illicit Assets Investigation Unit to ensure that investigations are conducted according to the Act while taking care not to harm Hansamali’s business.
The Magistrate ordered the police to provide a progress report to the court regarding the investigation related to this incident in the future.
