Printing Mahinda almanac with State funds: Case postponed

By T. Farook Thajudeen

Deputy Solicitor General Deleepa Pieria informed Colombo High Court Judge Damith Totawatte on the next trial date and whether the Attorney General would proceed with the case against Minister Basil Rajapaksa and former Director of Divinaguma Department Kithsiri Ranawaka for committing a loss of around Rs. 3 million to the Government by printing almanacs with the picture of presidential candidate Mahindra Rajapaksa during the 2015 Presidential Election.

DSG Pieris told the Judge that the Defence Counsel had intimated the Attorney General that the two accused were not involved in the alleged crime and to exonerate them from the charges. DSG Pieris further said that after consulting the Attorney General he would inform Court about the Attorney General’s position.

Yesterday the two accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. Hence DSG Sudarshana de Silva led the evidence of the 6th prosecution witness who was an Assistant Director of the Divinaguma Department, Dilan Kaluarachchi.

The case was postponed to 11 November. Counsel Gamini Marapone PC and Shavendra Fernando PC defended.