The Supreme Court has extended the stay order on Special High Court preventing the trial of D.A. Rajapaksa Museum case till the 14th of October, says Ada Derana reporter.

On July 25th, the Supreme Court delivered an order preventing trial at Special High Court against Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum case till the 1st of October, taking into consideration a special appeal petition lodged by the main defendant.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court consisting of Justices L.T.B. Dehideniya, S. Thurairajah and Gamini Amarasekara sat for the hearing of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s special appeal petition today (01).

Considering the submissions presented by President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, appearing on behalf of the former Defence Secretary, the Supreme Court judge bench had decided to fix the petition for support on the 11th of October.

The judge bench has also extended the stay order on Special High Court preventing the trial of D.A. Rajapaksa Museum case.

The case against the former Defence Secretary and six others was filed by the Attorney General, for allegedly misappropriating state funds amounting to Rs 33.9 million during the construction of the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum and Memorial in Medamulana.

The Permanent High Court at Bar had rejected the preliminary objections filed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa stating that it does not have the jurisdiction to hear the case.

The former defence secretary then lodged a revision petition with the Court of Appeal seeking an order suspending the rejection of his appeal. However, the Appeals Court ruled that it does not have the jurisdiction to hear the revision petition, hence, rejected it without taking it up.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa then filed a special appeal petition with the Supreme Court challenging the Appeals Court verdict.