Special High Court serves indictments against Gotabhaya and 6 others in DA Rajapaksa Museum case

The Special High Court on Tuesday read out the indictments against former Secretary of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and six others over the DA Rajapaksa Museum case.

The Attorney General had filed charges against seven Defendants, including former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, accusing him of misappropriating State funds amounting to nearly Rs. 34 million to construct the DA Rajapaksa Commemorative Museum at Weeraketiya in Medamulana.

The case was called today before the three-judge bench of Justices Sampath Abeykoon (Chairman), Sampath Wijeratne, and Champa Janaki Rajaratna.

After the Defendants were read the indictments, President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, appearing on behalf of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, raised objections that the Special High Court has no jurisdiction to hear the case. 

The counsel pointed out that according to the Judicature Amendment Act, the permanent Special High Court has the authority to investigate cases of serious economic and financial fraud. He said the Special High Court has no authority since this case does not fit into that category. 

The Special High Court on 17 January ordered to hear the case against former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and six others daily. Further hearing of the case will continue.

In addition to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the other respondents in the case are former Chairman of the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation Prasad Harshana de Silva, and members of the Board of Directors Bhadrawati Kamaladasa, Sudhammika Attygalle, Saman Kumara Galappathi, D. Mendis Saliya, and Mallika Kumari Senadheera.

The seven accused had been charged under Section 5(1) of the Public Property Act and Section 388 of the Penal Code, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the Public Property Act.