AG refers case against Gota to CJ for direction

The Attorney General has referred 2 high profile cases to the Chief Justice, seeking a direction on whether criminal proceedings in respect of them should be instituted in the newly set up Permanent High Court-at-Bar.

One of these cases involves former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the other involves former Magistrate Tilina Gamage.

The case against Mr. Rajapaksa and 5 others concern the allocation of almost Rs 49 million (Rs 48, 563,929.06) by the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation & Development Corporation (SLRDC) for the construction of the ‘DA Rajapaksa Memorial & Museum’ at Medamulana. The Navy had undertaken the construction and has been paid for by the SLRDC.

The accused in the case are Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former SLRDC Chairman Harshan De Silva, former General Manager Badra Kamaladasa, Sugandhika Atygalle, Saman Kumara Galappathy and Chaminda Saliya.

The other case is against former Magistrate Thilina Gamage who is accused of possessing a baby elephant without a licence.

On Wednesday, the High Court-at-Bar issued summons on former President’s Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath and 3 others to appear before it on August 24, for misappropriation of State funds to the tune of Rs 500 million. Charges against them have been filed for offences committed under the Penal Code, on Prevention of Money Laundering Act & Offences against Public Property Act.

The 3-member High Court-atBar comprises Judges Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijayaratne and Champa Rajaratne.