Former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa and two co-accused were today (July 7) served indictments filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption before Ravindra Premaratne of the Colombo High Court.
Following the service of indictments, the High Court Judge ordered that each accused be released on two personal bail bonds of Rs. 1 million each. The court also imposed overseas travel bans on all three accused.
The other two accused in the case are Sepalika Saman Kumari and Keerthi Bandara Kotagama. The Bribery Commission filed 10 indictments on June 19 and has listed 30 witnesses in support of the case.
The court fixed August 5 for the pre-trial conference and ordered that the case be called again on that date.
According to the prosecution, the charges stem from the payment of Rs. 8.85 million in compensation for damage caused to a building and several other properties allegedly constructed illegally on land belonging to the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka in Sevanagala, Kiribbanwewa, during the May 9, 2022 unrest.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption alleges that despite compensation having initially been refused, Shasheendra Rajapaksa abused his official position to influence public officials attached to the Office for Reparations to approve the payment. The accused have been indicted on charges of corruption and aiding and abetting the alleged misuse of public funds.
