The Colombo Fort Magistrate today issued a notice directing the Director General of Bribery Commission to appear in court on March 31 to inquiry whether a sum of Rs. 17.85 million recovered from the President’s House on 9th July, 2022 would come under the offences relating to the Bribery Act.
Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage made this order following a request made by Defence Counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne PC.
On a previous occasion, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa through his lawyer claimed his rights for the amount of Rs. 17.85 million recovered from the President’s House.
However, Defence Counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne PC with Maithri Gunaratne PC raised objections for releasing said amount to the former President and said prosecution has to ascertain whether there are offences committed under Money Laundering Act and Bribery Act.
In their further report CID said they had recorded a statement from former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 6th of February regarding ongoing investigations into the sum of Rs. 17.8 Million recovered by protesters inside the President’s House.
According to the former President’s statement he has stated that money found inside the President’s Office had belonged to him but he was unable to take care of them due to prevailing security situation on that occasion. He has told police the sum of money that belonged to him was to be distributed among the people whose houses were destroyed by the protesters.
