AG Gabriel Suri rejects Opposition claims, saying he left Panatina Chemists in 2018 and breached no law or ethical standard.
ATTORNEY General Gabriel Suri has rejected claims by the Opposition concerning his alleged corporate relationship with Prime Minister Hon. Matthew Wale, saying there is nothing unlawful or unethical about the matter.
In a statement today, Mr Suri clarified that he ceased being a director of Panatina Chemists Ltd in 2018, but his name remained on the company’s register because the persons responsible for lodging the company’s Annual Returns after 2018 failed to remove it.
Mr Suri said he had repeatedly informed the relevant persons including the Registrar of Companies that he had ceased his directorship and had requested that his name be removed from the register.
“In 2023, I told Wilson Rano that I had ceased to be a director when he attempted to serve a claim on me on behalf of Panatina Chemists. I had asked the Registrar of Companies to remove my name,” he said.
He said he again raised the matter with the Registrar in January and February this year.
Mr Suri stressed that he had not consented to his name continuing to appear on the company register.
“Let’s be frank, I have not attended any meeting of directors since 2019 and have not received any allowance since then,” he said.
The Attorney General explained that he ceased his directorship when Australasian Consultancy Excellence Ltd acquired substantial shares in Panatina Chemists Ltd.
He said at the time, Mr Ranil Gomes was the authorised person responsible for lodging the company’s Annual Returns and that he had instructed him on several occasions to remove his name.
Mr Suri said the continued appearance of his name on the company register was therefore without his consent.
He said the Opposition is attempting to turn the matter into an issue without identifying any specific law or ethical standard that had been breached.
The Attorney General described the claims as a “malicious witch-hunt” saying the Opposition had failed to establish any unlawful or unethical conduct on his part.
SOURCE//: Office of Prime Minister Press Release
