The Colombo High Court today fixed November 2 to deliver its order regarding an application filed on behalf of former Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa and five others requesting to acquit them from the money laundering case without calling for defence evidence.
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 defence made an application before High Court Judge Nawaratne Marasinghe in terms of Section 200 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, requesting the Court to record a verdict of acquittal on behalf of the accused in view of the fact that the evidence led by the prosecution totally failed to establish the commission of the offence charged against the accused in the indictment.
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.
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.
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.
