The Rights Of Minorities

Basil to be arrested on arrival: request to vacate earlier order rejected by court

01/APR/2015

 

The former economic development minister Basil Rajapakse who is implicated in multi million financial irregularities , and suspected of having committed these frauds was yesterday (30) ordered to be arrested and produced before court by the Kaduwela magistrate Dhammika Hemapala .

When the case was called up yesterday , the senior lawyer U .R. De Silva via a motion requested court to vacate the earlier order made by court to arrest the ex minister when he arrives in the country, and to give a fresh directive to the financial fraud investigation division to permit Basil  to make his pleas through his lawyers to court without arresting him.

The magistrate however rejected the request of the lawyers and insisted that in compliance with the earlier court order , Basil shall be arrested and produced before court. A team of about 20 lawyers with U. R .De Silva appeared on behalf of Basil.

This motion filed in court was heard without the presence of the police financial frauds division.

 The ex minister is facing the following indictments filed by the financial frauds investigation division :

Misappropriation of Divi Neguma department gift  funds . 
Disbursing Divi Neguma funds illegally towards last elections.
Expending Rs. 70 million just for a convention !
Spending  Rs. 14.5 million to renovate 4 MIG jets purchased in 2006
…and several other financial irregularities that took place under him as minister .

His lawyer U .R.De Silva told court that Basil is abroad on medical grounds , and he is expecting to return to Sri Lanka