The case filed against Vajira Nettikumara who owned the building where the alleged gambling centre in Union Place was located, was yesterday postponed for May 5 by a Colombo Court. When the case came up before Magistrate Thilina Gamage, the first witness in the case, a Police Inspector was not present in Court. Accordingly, the case which had been fixed for trial was postponed.

At a previous Magisterial Inquiry, the suspect informed Court that she was not pleading guilty for the charge.

Filing a charge sheet against the suspect, the Slave Island police alleged that the suspect had provided a building to operate a gambling den at Union Place in Colombo 2. The Counsel who appeared for the suspect informed Court that his client was not pleading guilty to the charge.

Accordingly, the case was fixed for trial, to be called yesterday and the witnesses were noticed to appear in Court to give evidence.

In this case, the Slave Island police charged the suspect with having permitted a gambling centre to operate in the building she owned. They informed Court that police units had since 2005 raided this gambling den on more than five occasions and legal action was taken against those who operated it and against those who took part in its activities.

The Slave Island police said the building owner had leased it out for a daily payment of Rs. 2,500.

The Inland Revenue Department had informed them that the gambling centre did not possess a valid licence to operate a Casino. Police told Court that the suspect had committed a punishable offence under section 3 (b) of the Gambling Ordinance.

On December 2, 10 out of 11 suspects arrested on charges of operating the gambling centre were released on Rs.100,000 surety bail. One of the suspects who pleaded guilty to the charge was fined Rs.100.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka