The case against former Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa and five others under the Money Laundering Act was today fixed for further trial by the Colombo High Court.

High Court Judge Nawaratne Marasinghe fixed the case to be taken up for further trial on December 8. The witnesses in the case were advised to appear before the court on the next trial date.

The Attorney General had filed indictments against six accused for their alleged involvement in laundering money amounting to Rs. 30 million through Gowers Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited.

The High Court had permitted the prosecution to proceed with the trial in the absence of the second and sixth accused in the case in terms of section 241 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The Attorney General had filed indictments against Namal Rajapaksa, Indika Karunajeewa, Sujani Bogollagama, Iresha Silva, Nithya Senani Samaranayake and Gowers Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited on 11 counts under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for their alleged involvement in money laundering amounting to Rs.30 million in a company (Gowers Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited) owned by Namal Rajapaksa between 2013 and 2014.

It was reported that Gowers Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited of Colombo 5 is providing coordinating services to Sri Lankan Airlines.

The FCID had initiated investigations into this matter following a complaint by Voice Against Corruption Convener Wasantha Samarasinghe.