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Court acquits Basil from Divineguma case

01 Dec 2020 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}      

  • The indictments were filed against former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, and few others

By Yoshitha Perera

The Colombo High Court yesterday acquitted former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and three others from the case filed over the alleged financial misappropriation of Divineguma fund.

The Attorney General (AG) had filed indictments against former Minister and three others against the charges of misappropriating Rs. 33 million-worth of funds belonging to the Divineguma Department during the Presidential Election campaign in 2015.


The indictments were filed against former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, former Economic Development Ministry’s Secretary Dr Nihal Jayathilake, former Divineguma Department Director General Kithsiri Ranawaka and former Divineguma Department Deputy Director-General Bandula Tillakasiri in the Colombo High Court.
The Judgement was given by Colombo High Court Judge R. Gurusunghe.


Earlier, the AG had commenced trials against four accused under the Penal Code and Public Property Act for alleged financial misappropriation public funds. On November 25, the Colombo High Court had lifted the overseas travel ban imposed on former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Divineguma Department Director General Kithsiri Ranawaka.