AG WITHDRAWS CASE AGAINST BASIL

Due to technical fault

The Attorney General yesterday withdrew the indictment filed in the Colombo High Court against former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and former Director General of Divineguma Department Kithsiri Ranawake over the Rs. 29 million misappropriation that has allegedly taken place in the printing and distribution of New Year almanacs using Divi Neguma funds.

Senior State Counsel Sudharshana de Silva appearing on behalf of the Attorney General informed court that due to a technical legal reason the indictments filed against the accused needed to be withdrawn.

According to the prosecution, when the indictment was served on the accused earlier, the Attorney General had not tendered the ‘consent letter’ with the indictments in court. Senior State Counsel also said that the Attorney General would serve the indictments on the matter again in due course after correcting the technical legal fault.

Subsequently, Colombo High Court Judge Pathmini N. Ranawaka discharged former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and former Director General of Divi Neguma Department Kithsiri Ranawake over the case in which they were indicted on charges of misappropriation.

And consequently, all the orders given by the Court against the accused pertaining to this particular case, including travel bans, now would be nullified.