Former Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Bathiya Jayakody and Santhush Weeraman should be named as suspects in a case involving the misuse of public funds.
The case concerns the Weras Ganga project, launched to control flooding in Colombo, where Rs. 27.6 million allocated for the project was allegedly spent on ceremonial events during its initial phase—without following any formal procurement process—causing a financial loss to the state, Senior Attorney Nuwan Jayawardena informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali yesterday (5), Ceylon Today repoted.
Jayawardena made this submission while representing M.A. Shrimathi Mallika Kumari Senadheera, a former General Manager of the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC), who was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and presented to court as the second suspect in the case.
The lawyer told the court that his client, who was a member of the procurement committee, was accused of approving the release of Rs. 27.6 million for the project without proper procurement procedures—an act he said was carried out under severe pressure.
He further explained that two former General Managers of the Corporation had previously resigned due to undue pressure from senior officials, and that his client had been appointed to the position following their resignations.
The project had been scheduled to be inaugurated on 9 September 2014. However, the procurement committee was only informed about the procurement process on 5 September, giving them just four days to complete it. The lawyer also stated that the Chairperson of the Corporation had led the procurement activities.
He noted that Gotabaya Rajapaksa, then serving as Defence Ministry Secretary, had even held rehearsals ahead of the event, and insisted that his client had acted under considerable external pressure throughout the process.
The event management responsibilities for the inauguration ceremony had been handed over to a company named “Showtown Entertainment,” owned by an individual named Bathiya Jayakody. The lawyer argued that both Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Bathiya Jayakody and Santhush Weeraman should be named as suspects in the case due to their involvement in organising the event.
He further emphasised that although his client was involved in the procurement process, she had done so under duress and had acted to the best of her ability given the constraints.
Meanwhile, CIABOC Assistant Director (Legal) Sulochana Hettiarachchi told the court that the first suspect in the case is former SLLRDC Chairperson Harshan de Silva, who has since been released on bail.
The second suspect, now in custody, is alleged to have approved the release of funds outside standard procedures while serving as both General Manager and a member of the procurement committee.
The Assistant Director requested the court to issue appropriate orders regarding the suspect.
After considering submissions from both sides, the Magistrate ordered the release of the suspect on two personal bail bonds of Rs. 500,000 each.
The case is scheduled to be taken up again on 24 June.
(Courtesy: Ceylon Today)
