News
Basil, three others acquitted in Divineguma misappropriation case
By Piyadasa Ranasinghe
The Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court yesterday (28) acquitted Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and three others of all charges in a case filed against them in 2015 over the misappropriation of ‘Divineguma’ funds.
When the case was taken up for hearing, Magistrate and Additional District Judge Manjula Ratnayake ordered that the Minister and others be acquitted on the instructions of the Attorney General.
Minister Rajapaksa, officials Nimal Jayatilake, Amith Kitsiri and Bandula Tilakasiri had been named the respondents in the case accusing them of paying compensation and gratuity to Samurdhi recipients from the funds of the Divineguma community-based bank of the Divineguma Department.
It had been alleged that several financial irregularities had taken place in the implementation of the compensation and gratuity project of the Divineguma Development Department, which was under the purview of the Economic Development Ministry.
Anil de Silva PC, Attorneys-at-Law Sandya Thalduwa and Senarath Jayasundera appeared for the suspects.