Cabraal, Weeratunge released from private plaint

The Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court today ordered to release former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and former President's Secretary Lalith Weeratunge from a private plaint after upholding the preliminary objections raised by the defence.

Ven. Thiniyawala Palitha Thera had filed a private plaint over alleged financial irregularities that had allegedly taken place while Cabraal and Weeratunge were serving as the Central Bank Governor and President's Secretary respectively in 2014. 

Taking into consideration the preliminary objections raised by the defence challenging the maintainability of the case, Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage ordered to release Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Lalith Weeratunge from the case. The matter was dismissed accordingly.

This private plaint had been filed by Ven. Thiniyawala Palitha Thera in terms of Section 136(1)(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act. 

The petitioner alleged that the Sri Lankan government, when Ajith Nivard Cabral was functioning as the Central Bank Governor in 2014, had paid USD 6.5 million through the Central Bank to an American businessman named Imaad Shah Zuberi, who was a CIA mole, to buy influence and fix its image in the US. The petitioner further alleged that a US Court has held that out of the said money given to him on behalf of Sri Lankan taxpayers, USD 5.6 million or 80% of it had been spent on himself and his wife. The petitioner said former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabral has paid the sum of USD 6.5 million without obtaining prior approval from Parliament or the Cabinet of Ministers in violation of Article 150 of the Constitution. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)