Former Minister Kumara Welgama was released on bail on Tuesday after being produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate over a case of financial irregularity.

He slammed the current government stating: “This is the fate of every MP that does not join with the Good Governance. We were expecting this”.

The former minister is charged with the creation of the non-existent position of vice chairman at the Sri Lanka Transport Board paying over Rs. 3.2 million as a salary to L.A.Wimalaratne, who was appointed to that position.

The case was filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.

When the case was taken up today, Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya ordered that Welgama be released on two surety bails of one million rupees each and a Rs.25,000  cash bail. The case will be taken up again on March 24..

Bandula Gunawardena, MP, countered with allegations that the government had done nothing to follow-up on allegations he said were made in the COPE report – what he called “the daylight theft at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka “. He said this inaction showed “that this is simply a hunt and a media facade and not a process to ensure that justice is meted out ”

Dinesh Gunawardena, UPFA MP, was of a similar opinion. He stated that  the government cannot prove the allegations it makes. He further stated that  “only the Joint Opposition headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa, can provide solutions to the issues at hand”.

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