Gota grilled for six hours

Ex-Defence Secretary quizzed on release of 500 Rakna Arakshaka Lanka staff for election work during presidential poll; lease of weapons

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was grilled for six hours yesterday by the Special Presidential Commission Investigating Large-Scale Fraud and Corruption to answer allegations pertaining to Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd. (RALL), a security company set up by the Ministry of Defence during his tenure.

The former regime strongman entered the Commission offices at 10 a.m. and left around 4 p.m. after officials recorded his evidence about several misappropriations and irregularities at RALL.

Rajapaksa told reporters after his six-hour grilling that he had not been issued notice to return before the Commission.

“I was questioned regarding Rakna Arakshaka Lanka,” the former top official said as he left the BMICH offices of the Commission.

The controversial commercial enterprise founded under the auspices of the Defence Ministry has been implicated in major corruption scandals, including the lease of State-owned weapons to the private maritime security company, Avant Garde, without Cabinet or Parliamentary sanction.

Speaking to reporters, Secretary to the Commission Lacille De Silva said the former Defence Secretary had been questioned regarding the alleged release of 500 employees of RALL for election work during the last presidential election.

De Silva said those vacancies had been filled with personnel from the Civil Defence Service, who had been made to wear different uniforms and serve in the Government affiliated limited liability company.

The Special Commission had also quizzed Rajapaksa on allegations that RALL weapons that were property of the Government had been leased to other entities.

President Maithripala Sirisena set up the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate allegations of large scale fraud and corruption in State institutions over the past five years.

The Commission is chaired by Chairman High Court Judge Preethi Padman Surasena, and comprises Judges Amendra Seneviratne, Vikum Kaluarachchi and Gihan Kulathunga and retired Auditor General A.P. Prematilake. (DB)