By A. J. A. Abeynayake

The Appeal Court yesterday acquitted former President’s Secretary Lalith Chandrakumar Weeratunga and former Director General of Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) Anusha Pelpita on all counts in the ‘Sil Redi’ distribution case.

The bench comprised Justices Kumudini Wickramasinghe and Devika Abeyratne.

In quashing the verdict delivered earlier by the Colombo High Court, the bench said the duo had acted within the jurisdiction of powers vested in them. There had been no misappropriation of funds,

Weeratunga and Pelpita were indicted by the Attorney General in the Colombo High Court on three counts on August 28, 2015.

They were charged with acting in contravention of the regulations of the TRC and transferring Rs.600 million belonging to the TRC to an account in a state bank in the name of President’s Secretary for the purpose of distributing ‘sil redi’, during the period October 30, 2014 and January 5, 2015.

On September 7, 2017, Colombo High Court Judge Gihan Kulatunga found Weeratungae and Pelpita guilty on all counts and sentenced them to three years rigorous imprisonment each and ordered them to pay a fine of Rs. 2 million besides paying compensation amounting to Rs. 50 million each to the TRC.

Subsequently, they were released on bail by the High Court.

Counsel Keerthi Tilakaratne, Faiza Markar, Shantha Jayawardena and Shavendra Fernando, PC, and Faiz Musthapha, PC appeareed for Weeratunga and Counsel Kanchana Ratwatte, and Janaka Ranatunge, appeared for Palpita.

Deputy Solocitor General Thusith Mudalige appeared on behalf of the Attorney General.