Supreme Court rejects Gotabaya’s petition

The Supreme Court today by majority decision rejected the petition filed by former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa claiming that the charges filed against him over the D.A. Rajapaksa museum case are incorrect. 

Rajapaksa had filed the petition alleging that flawed charges have been presented by the Attorney General against him, over the alleged misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs 33.9 million when constructing the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum in Medamulana.

The petition was taken up for consideration before a five-judge bench comprising Supreme Court Justices Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena, Prasanna Jayawardena Wijith Malalgoda and L.T.B. Dehideniya.

Afterwards the verdict was announced by the Chairman of the judge bench Justice Sisira de Abrew, who declared that by majority decision the five-member judge bench has decided to reject the petition without taking it up for hearing.

He further stated that there is no justifiable legal basis to grant permission to take it up for hearing.

President’s Counsel Ali Sabry appearing on behalf of the petitioner had stated that that two conspiracy charges have been leveled against the defendants in the case and that the manner in which the charges have been made was flawed and also that the charges were unclear.

Deputy Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne appearing on behalf of the Attorney General rejected the notion that the charges were flawed and also pointed out that there is no basis for the petitioner’s argument that the charges are unclear.

He stated that the first charge in the case which is a conspiracy charge is applied to all seven defendants in the case and that the time period of the relevant conspiracy charge has been clearly stated in the charge sheet.

After considering the facts presented before the court, the judge bench decided to reject the petition by majority decision.