SLIIT ownership transfer : Former CJ testifies before the PCoI

Colombo (News 1st): Former Chief Justice K. Sripavan testified at the Presidential Commission that he opposed the agreements reached to lease the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology which was owned by the Mahapola Scholarship Trust Fund. Former Chief Justice K. Sripavan provided evidence at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry from 03:00 pm to 08:30 pm yesterday regarding an investigation taking place on alleged malpractices at the Mahapola Scholarship Trust Fund. The Chief Justice becomes the Chairperson of the Mahapola Scholarship Trust Fund, via his official capacity. According to a complaint made to the Presidential Commission by former Minister Dr Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, the Mahapola Scholarship Trust Fund lost due benefits by handing over SLIIT in 2015 to a company called Mahapola Guarantee. The former CJ had further noted the lease agreements were not legitimate agreements. He added that Dr Wickrama Weerasooriya who was in the Board of Trustees back then had said that they have the power to the sign the agreements as they are appointed by the Minister. In his testimony, the former CJ said Dr Sarath Amunugama and Gamini Jayawickrama Perera who were members of the Mahapola Scholarship Trust Fund as Ministers showed no interest regarding the lease agreements.