Namal Rajapaksa’s party has stated that a detailed report on how the Rs. 70 million received in the Krrish case was spent had already been submitted to the Police Department. The Attorney General has filed a case alleging that Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa committed an offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by receiving Rs. 70 million from the Indian company Krish Transworks Private Limited, under the guise of promoting rugby in Sri Lanka.
However, the police have reportedly misplaced the complete expenditure report and submitted only a cover letter to the Attorney General’s Department. Rajapaksa’s side is now insisting that the full report has been lost.
Colombo High Court Judge Nadee Aparna Suwadurugoda ordered the pre-trial conference in the case to commence on December 18, yesterday (26). The judge also directed that the case file from the preliminary investigations conducted before the Fort Magistrate’s Court be immediately summoned to the High Court.
Additionally, the judge instructed the Attorney General to provide the defense with copies of the requested documents before the next hearing date.
When the case was taken up, President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, appearing for the defense, argued that although most of the requested documents had been provided, several important documents were still missing. He stressed that these were essential to ensure a fair trial.
Deputy Solicitor General Wasantha Perera, leading the prosecution on behalf of the Attorney General, responded that while most relevant documents had already been provided, some of the defense’s requests concerned a separate case before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, which was unrelated to the present indictment. Therefore, those documents could not be made available. He assured the court, however, that any outstanding documents relevant to the indictment period would be submitted without delay.
After considering submissions from both sides, the High Court judge issued the above orders.
Deputy Solicitor General Wasantha Perera, assisted by State Counsel Akila Dalpadathu, appeared for the prosecution. President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, with Attorneys Nissanka Peiris, Athula de Silva, and Anuradha Weragoda, represented the defense.
