Former Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne has been indicted before the Colombo High Court by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over an alleged corruption offence that took place in 2012.
The indictment relates to the period between June 12 and August 6, 2012, when Rajitha Senaratne was serving as Minister of Fisheries, Ada Derana reporter said.
According to the charges, the former Minister allegedly exerted pressure on the then Chairman of the Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation to lease the corporation-owned vessel “Weligowwa” to a Korean company.
The company had been selected to undertake the removal of sand from the Kirinda Fisheries Harbour for subsequent sale in the market.
CIABOC alleges that former Minister Senaratne committed the offence of corruption by influencing the corporation’s chairman to facilitate the leasing of the vessel for the project.
The former minister faces five charges under Section 70 of the Bribery Act.
The prosecution has named 13 witnesses and listed 25 documents as productions in the case, Ada Derana reporter added.
