MR demands Rs.1 bn from Mangala

13 May 2015 10:52 am

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had sent a letter of demand to Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera demanding Rs.1 billion as compensations over a statement alleged to have made by the minister during a news conference.

Athula Priyadarshana de Silva, the Counsel who had sent the letter on behalf of the former President, said that the statements made by Minister Samaraweera were defamatory and had made with the sole intention of insulting Mr. Rajapaksa.

“Though the damages caused to the image of my client are beyond estimation, he had estimated it to a Rs. 1 billion for the sake of legal requirements,” the counsel said.

The letter dated on May 12 noted that if the Minister failed to pay Rs. 1 billion within 21 days, legal action would be taken against him to obtain the amount.

The letter said Minister Samaraweera had alleged Mr. Rajapaksa and family members of theft, alleging their wealth was USD 18 billion and Mr. Rajapaksa was the first trillionaire of Sri Lanka.

The letter rejected the allegations as completely false and had no base.(Lahiru Pothmulla)