Shasheendra Faces 10 Charges In Corruption Trial

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa and two other accused were today served indictments before the Colombo High Court over charges filed under the Anti-Corruption Act.

The indictments were served on former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa, former Acting Director General of the Office for Reparations Sepalika Saman Kumari, and Keerthi Bandara Kotagama.

According to the charges, during the period between November 27, 2023 and May 29, 2024, the accused allegedly exerted influence on officials of the Office for Reparations following the destruction of a building and other property that had been unlawfully constructed on land belonging to the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka in the Sevanagala area during the period of the Aragalaya protests.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) filed indictments before the High Court on June 19, alleging that the accused had committed offences under the Anti-Corruption Act by obtaining compensation amounting to Rs. 8.85 million for the property in question.

The case was taken up today before Colombo High Court Judge Raveendra Premaratne.

Following the serving of indictments, the Judge ordered that the accused be released on two surety bails of Rs. 10 million each.

A total of 10 charges have been filed against the accused in the case, while the prosecution is expected to call 30 witnesses and produce 38 documents as material evidence during the trial.
The pre-trial conference has been scheduled to be held on August 5.