Two directors of Sri Lanka’s Laugfs Gas PLC and a stockbroker have made a settlement of Rs. 231 million to the state-owned Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) over an action filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) for offences of conspiracy to commit Market Manipulation.
According to a statement on the SEC’s official website, the action was filed against W.K.H. Wegapitiya for offences of conspiracy to commit Market Manipulation and committing Market Manipulation under the provisions of the then Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka Act No 36 of 1987 as amended before the Fort Magistrates’ Court in Case bearing No 16967/20, in respect of the shares of Laugfs Gas PLC between 07-10 October 2011.
An application was made in Court by the Counsel representing W.K.H. Wegapitiya for the SEC to consider compounding these offences in terms of Section 51A of the then Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka Act No 36 of 1987 as amended.
Having considered the loss caused to the Employees’ Provident Fund, the time since the said offences were committed, the accused agreeing to settle the loss caused to the EPF, other pending litigation connected to this case, and the absence of previous convictions, the SEC decided to consider the application to Compound the said offences upon the payment of a sum of Rs. 6.6 Million to the Compensation Fund of the SEC by the accused.
This compounding was effected following Wegapitiya together with the other accused in this case, U.K. Tilak N de Silva and T. I. Hulangamuwa agreeing to settle the EPF the excess amount of Rs. 231 Million paid by the EPF in respect of the 33 Million shares of Laugfs Gas PLC bought at Rs. 48/- on 10th October 2011.
The amounts referred to above were settled to the EPF and the SEC in open Court by Wegapitiya and the other two accused when the matter was called before the Fort Magistrate on 19 July 2024.
According to the SEC, the said funds have been duly credited to the EPF and the Compensation Fund of the SEC respectively. (Newswire)