Trial Begins Against Shasheendra Rajapaksa
The Colombo High Court began the trial against three defendants-including former State Minister Shashindra Rajapaksa-in a case concerning corruption allegations today. This was court rejected the preliminary objections raised by the defense. Accordingly, the judge ordered for the case to proceed on the charges filed by the Bribery Commission against the defendants. After the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, the trial commenced before Colombo High Court Judge Ravindra Premaratne. Addressing court at that point, Deputy Director General Subhashini Siriwardena, appearing on behalf of the Bribery Commission, requested permission to deliver the opening address under Section 199 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Thereafter, the examination of evidence in the case commenced under the direction of the Deputy Director General. Indictments were filed in the High Court by the Bribery Commission against the defendants on June 19, alleging that the Defendants had committed an offense under the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023 by pressuring officials of the Office for Reparations to obtain Rs. 8,850,000 in compensation for property-including an unauthorized building constructed on land belonging to the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority in the Sewanagala area between November 27, 2023, and May 29, 2024-that was destroyed during the recent aragalaya protests. Ten indictments have been filed against the defendants, and 30 witnesses as well as 38 documents are expected to be produced as evidence during the trial. Former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa, former Director of the Office for Reparations Sepalika Saman Kumari, and former Director General of the Mahaweli Authority Keerthi Bandara Kotagama have been named as defendants in the case.
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