Premajayantha says Rajapaksa’s election committee responsible for ITN bill

Former UPFA General Secretary Minister Susil Premajayantha says former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election committee was responsible for the payment due to the State-run Independent Television Network (ITN) for running the former president’s election ad campaign.

Speaking to the media after he gave a statement to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC) on Wednesday, Minister Premajayantha said that the UPFA Committee for Media and Propaganda Affairs appointed for the January 2015 election was responsible for the payment to ITN.

He said different committees were appointed to handle different purposes and once the committees were appointed the General Secretary had no involvement in their activities.

Premajayantha was called to give a statement to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry after Rajapaksa had claimed that the General Secretary of the UPFA was responsible for the payment of dues to ITN for broadcasting election advertisements for his presidential campaign. An audit inquiry found that the state television station had incurred losses of over Rs. 101 million as Rajapaksa had failed to pay the due amount.