Gobinath Sivarajah, the Media Manager of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, was granted bail last Wednesday by the Magistrates Court after his case was heard. Sivarajah had been detained on 27th May 2024 by Immigration and Emigration officials at Bandaranaike International Airport while attempting to flee the country despite an existing travel ban. He was initially remanded until the 5th of June and further remanded until the 19th of June.
Gobinath Sivarajah, while employed as the Media Manager of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL), also served as the Secretary of Dance Sport Sri Lanka. He is under investigation for allegedly preparing a forged document containing false information and forging the signature of its President, Malinga Fernando, to fraudulently obtain a sponsorship of Rs. 800,000 from a businessman who was reportedly blackmailed into providing the money.
Many believe that Sivarajah is being used as a pawn by two other officials from the National Olympic Committee namely Maxwell De Silva, the current Secretary General, and Treasurer Gamini Jayasinghe. These two are alleged to be the masterminds behind this case and several other acts of corruption, fraud, racketeering, forgery, and human smuggling. While some of these cases have already been investigated and resulted in guilty verdicts, the culture of corruption among officials often leads to delays and prolonged investigations.
Meanwhile, on 19th June 2024, after spending 22 days in remand, Sivarajah was granted bail. He faces charges of making and using a forged document, offenses punishable under sections 454, 457, and 459 of the penal code.
The case raises questions about the fate of Malinga Fernando, the President of Dance Sport Sri Lanka. In his statement to the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau (CFIB), Fernando admitted and acknowledged the request for Rs. 800,000 from Fortune Entertainment Private Limited. However, he claimed that the signature on the document in question did not appear to be his.
Interestingly, Fernando has not outright denied signing the document but has requested the CFIB to investigate the signature. This raises suspicions about the integrity of the document and Fernando’s involvement.
Conversely, Sivarajah admitted in his statement to the CFIB that he signed the document dated 13th March 2023, requesting Rs. 800,000, and also claimed that Fernando signed it as well. Fernando acknowledged the request for the money but not the signature.
Despite these admissions, it is peculiar that Malinga Fernando has not been produced in court or named as a suspect. The Managing Director of Fortune Entertainment Private Limited, Zhang Hong, had acceded to the Rs. 800,000 request, adding another layer of intrigue to the case.
This situation raises eyebrows and questions about the legal proceedings and why Malinga Fernando has not faced charges or been brought to court.
DanceSport Sri Lanka: A Detailed Examination of Irregularities
Further investigations have established several critical issues with the association/federation “DanceSport Sri Lanka”:
- Lack of Registration:
- DanceSport Sri Lanka is not registered as a national sports association/federation with the Ministry of Youth & Sports or the Department of Sports Development.
- Fraudulent Claims:
- The association fraudulently claims to be affiliated with the Ministry of Youth & Sports.
- Absence of Financial Records:
- The association has not maintained any financial accounts for over two years of operation.
- No Financial Transparency:
- There are no financial accounts or records of any money received, paid, or spent during its two or more years of operation.
- Lack of Audits:
- There has been no audit of the financial transactions of DanceSport Sri Lanka from its commencement on 20th September 2021 to date.
- Failure to Submit Audit Reports:
- DanceSport Sri Lanka has never furnished audit reports to the Ministry of Youth & Sports or the Auditor General of the National Audit Office in the period of two years or more from its commencement.
- Admission of Non-Registration:
- Gamini Jayasinghe, the Vice President of DanceSport Sri Lanka and Treasurer of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL), admitted in his statement to the CFIB that the association is not a registered entity with the Department of Sports Development, a mandatory requirement under Sports Law Act No. 25 of 1973.
- Receipt of Funds:
- Jayasinghe admitted that Rs. 800,000.00 was received from Fortune Entertainment Private Limited upon a written request made by DanceSport Sri Lanka.
- Future Registration Promises:
- Jayasinghe stated that they plan to attend to the matter of registering DanceSport Sri Lanka in the future.
- Bank Deposit Confirmation:
- Jayasinghe confirmed that the Rs. 800,000.00 Sampath Bank Cheque received from Fortune Entertainment Private Limited was deposited into DanceSport Sri Lanka’s People’s Bank account number 167 1001 900 263.
- Lack of Accountability:
- There are no accounts or financial statements available to be submitted by any office bearers of DanceSport Sri Lanka (Sivarajah Gobinath – Secretary, Malinga Fernando – President, Gamini Jayasinghe – Vice President, Maxwell De Silva Vice President and Dinesh Krishantha – Treasurer) to the CFIB detailing how the Rs. 800,000.00 was utilized.
- Illegal Use of National Identity:
- DanceSport Sri Lanka has unlawfully used “Sri Lanka” in its purported national sports association/federation title, flouting all relevant regulations and laws.
Additional Violations and Responsibility in the DanceSport Sri Lanka Scandal
Uncharged Violations:
- Illegal Use of National Identity:
- DanceSport Sri Lanka illegally and unlawfully used “Sri Lanka” in its name, presenting itself as a national sports association/federation without proper authorization.
- Formation of a Fraudulent Association:
- The association functioned fraudulently for over two years from September 20, 2021, without proper registration.
- Submission of False Claims:
- The association made and submitted falsified and fraudulent claims to the Secretary of the Ministry of Youth & Sports to register as the Ballroom Dance Federation of Sri Lanka, falsely presenting itself as a legitimate national sports association/federation.
Individuals Responsible:
- Malinga Fernando – President
- Gamini Jayasinghe – Vice President & Current Treasurer of NOCSL
- Maxwell De Silva – Vice President & Current Secretary of NOCSL
- Deva Henry – Vice President & Former Vice President of NOCSL
- Sivarajah Gobinath – Secretary & Media Manager of NOCSL
- J. Attygalla – Assistant Secretary
- Dinesh Krishantha – Treasurer & Maintenance Manager of NOCSL
- Senaka De Silva – Assistant Treasurer
- Prageeth Thanushka – Executive Committee Member
- Ajith Senevirathne – Executive Committee Member
- K. M. W. Bandara – Executive Committee Member
- Kevin Nugara – Director of Sport Development
Ministry of Sports’ Silence, Official Inaction and Suspicious Circumstances:
Despite the scandal, the Ministry of Youth & Sports and the Department of Sports Development (DOSD) have maintained a notable silence. The DOSD, responsible for regulating and supervising all national sports federations, has taken no action regarding this fraud. This raises suspicions about potential corruption within the department.
In a letter dated April 8, 2024 (Ref: DSD/NSA/02/01/2024), Fernando confirmed many violations to the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau (CFIB) but did not take any action beyond reporting.
Questions of Accountability:
- Attorney General’s Department Inaction:
- Despite the Additional Solicitor General’s acknowledgment of the violations in a letter dated April 4, 2023 (Ref: E/337/2021), no legal action has been taken against DanceSport Sri Lanka.
- Lack of Inquiry by DOSD:
- Neither the Director General nor the Director of Sports has conducted an inquiry or sought instructions from the Attorney General’s Department to address these violations.
These questions highlight the urgent need for a thorough investigation and accountability within the Department of Sports Development and the broader regulatory framework governing national sports associations in Sri Lanka.
