The chairman and six other officials of the Cooperative Thrift Society in Kotikawatte have been sacked on a charge of having incurred a loss in excess of Rs. 200 million to the institution.
The western province cooperatives commissioner has filed charges against chairman Sarath Vidanapathirana and the others.
Their explanations have been rejected and a ban imposed on them from holding any cooperative society office for seven years.
A case filed by members of the Kotikawatte Cooperative Thrift Society against corruption and fraud in the institution has been taken up by the Colombo court and a writ order issued.
The others accused are society’s secretary Elwalage Sisira Kumara, Lakitha Dhanushka Peiris, Madavi Mekala, Tilanjana Kuruwitarachchi, Lionel Gunapala and Somasiri Perera.
The cooperatives commissioner has found that Vidanapathirana had written off interest due from selected members to the tune of Rs. 2,543,823, caused a Rs. 175,039,192 loss from a hotel project and had made questionable expenditures of Rs. 21,604,172.
The order by the cooperatives commissioner is reproduced below:
