'If it's a fault, I will admit, but it’s not a fault'- MR

12 September 2017 08:49 am - 27 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said that, if it's a fault, he would admit to the incident of ‘Sil Redi’ distribution but said it was not a fault.

He expressed these views in response to journalists after visiting former president’s secretary Lalith Weeratunga and former TRC director Anusha Palpita at the Welikada Prison.

“I have given eight orders in March, before the presidential election was held, based on requests received by the people. The decision to hand over ‘Sil Redi’ was only one among these eight decisions and funds to these programmes were allocated right away. This was not made aiming elections as charged by some elements,” he said.

He said he never forced his secretary to implement an order and said when a President says something to his secretary, it naturally becomes an order. “We don’t threaten the secretary with clubs to get work done,” he said.

He said even the judges had admitted that the two officers had not received any benefits by implementing the decision.

Meanwhile, he said the health condition of Mr.Weeratunga was not satisfactory and a specialist doctor from the National Hospital had also visited him. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

Video by Sanjeewa

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Comments - 27

lankaman Tuesday, 12 September 2017 09:05 AM

Pity on him. Looks like the trauma of losing power and impending criminal proceedings against his close family has denied him the proper use of his mental faculties

Snowy Tuesday, 12 September 2017 09:08 AM

This is nice advise to all government servants. When you go home today, take with you all want you need from the desk. It is not a fault. Oh! What a pinhead!

TONY Tuesday, 12 September 2017 09:08 AM

BUT THE SIL REDHI WERE DISTRIBUTED JUST BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND YOU SAY THAT IT WAS NOT PART OF PROPAGANDA. YOU WANT TO MISLEAD THE PEOPLE STILL. THE CORE ISSUE IS NOT SIL REDHI BUT THE ILLEGAL WAY FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED FOR THIS

Good idea Tuesday, 12 September 2017 10:29 AM

In future if any one misappropriate big sum easy can get over did so in order to serve for the religious purposes.

Nina Kamal Tuesday, 12 September 2017 10:34 AM

Obviously its 'was not a fault' and the whole nation is alarming for no reason.. Sigh

nirmalath Tuesday, 12 September 2017 10:56 AM

It is a shame that the President of the country do not know to squander on the public funds. He should pay from his hidden wealth to save his minions who are brainless.

daily boru Tuesday, 12 September 2017 10:58 AM

Yes Sir, it is not a fault its simply a robbery!

visva5556au@yahoo.com Tuesday, 12 September 2017 10:59 AM

Right why not pay the penalty from your pocket

Lord Wolfstein Tuesday, 12 September 2017 11:00 AM

When is this big-mouthed defeated and highly criminal dictator finally stuffed his mouth and brought to Welikada?

Nanda Tuesday, 12 September 2017 11:09 AM

Now public need to be watchful, in order to cover up the central bank robbery, government may can try a deal with JO to cover cases coming up including sil redhi

graham Tuesday, 12 September 2017 11:14 AM

All a Bunch of Jokers.

Arthur Tuesday, 12 September 2017 11:15 AM

It definitely is a major fault and a fraud. Rs 600 million was transferred to a fund in President's Secretary's name, without TRC Board approval, by the duo. They deserve a much longer prison term given that a lady principal was sentenced to 8 years for a Rs 25,000 fraud.

paul Tuesday, 12 September 2017 11:21 AM

He says it's not a fault even after it was proved and the culprits convicted....ha ha ha. Well, whom is he addressing anyway ?

Aussie. Tuesday, 12 September 2017 11:26 AM

It's too late now. You should have gone to court during hearing and given evidence and admitted your fault then and there. Knowing very well that they will be convicted,you avoided court willfully and now you shed crocodile tears.

Citizen Perera Tuesday, 12 September 2017 11:29 AM

For Rs.600 million...how many metres purchased?... from where did they buy this material? What is the quality of this material?.... How many people received SIl Redhi?

Weeping Crocodile Tuesday, 12 September 2017 11:49 AM

It is sad that this man does not know RIGHT from WRONG!! How can we expect the ordinary citizen to behave as a law abiding person! He admits he gave the orders. If his orders were 'legal', why did he not give evidence ? As they are not, should he not now be charged on his own admission? Nobody is above the law, except that he thought he was!!

gamini Tuesday, 12 September 2017 11:50 AM

using Telecom funds for distributing Sil Redhi whether or not for an election is not a fault, it is a CRIME

Kevin Tuesday, 12 September 2017 12:34 PM

MR, did you pay this from your pocket???

Sambo Tuesday, 12 September 2017 12:47 PM

This guy is an arch crook. He knows where and when to slip out. Any one following him will end up with the same fate of these two. Be Aware of Satan.

Ranjan Fernando Tuesday, 12 September 2017 01:17 PM

The school principal who accepted Rs 25000, only received a gift from a grateful parent. Why did the Judge send him for 8 years RI?

Casanova Tuesday, 12 September 2017 02:05 PM

Look at this man, how pathetic he is. what I assume from this is; when God hates someone,he simply makes them go insane first probably.

Nimal Tuesday, 12 September 2017 02:26 PM

Look that's the man who ruled us for a decade.

Ashok Tuesday, 12 September 2017 02:58 PM

Then Who Should Be Behind Bars??? For Misuse Of Public Funds???

Vernon Tuesday, 12 September 2017 03:41 PM

This is not a fraud but a case of misappropriation of public funds. TRC funds has nothing to do with development of Buddhism. I have never heard of any man or woman asking for sil redi. They may ask for their road to be repaired, for a house, for bridge, for a scjhool etc, but never sil redi. Even if the people had been asking the government for sil redi as the MR says, which is nonsense, then he could have allocated money to the Buddha Sasana ministry and then do the distribution accordingly. Why use TRC funds? This is a clear case of misappropriation and no amount of appeals would help these unfortunate officers.

Randeninya Tuesday, 12 September 2017 06:52 PM

Popularly known Lalith is a good actor. MR owes him a LOT for putting the government rubber stamp on unsavory activities of the former junta.

weerasinghe Tuesday, 12 September 2017 09:00 PM

It is a shame to say that our former President is a useless idiot.. a bloody crook. . Cheated all government money for his own purposes and keep the power forever.. He cannot challenge the court verdict. Thai I absolutely correct.

Aristotle Wednesday, 13 September 2017 12:00 PM

In the court proceedings, I wonder whether the learned judge has inquired as to how much exactly this loyal secretary has spent and the amount of cloth material, to whom they were given etc. All accounts along with receipts and other documents had to be submitted to prove that no pilfering had taken place. No one can just take for granted when that exactly Rs.600 mil.was spent for the distribution of 'Sil redi' just for the sake of saying. Sources say that Mahinda Rajapakse's photo was also attached to the parcel.

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'If it's a fault, I will admit, but it’s not a fault'- MR

Comments - 27

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