Basil Rajapaksa acquitted from ‘Lith’ distribution case
Sri Lanka’s finance minister Basil Rajapaksa (Photo By ISHARA S. KODIKARA)
The Colombo High Court today (February 01) acquitted Minister Basil Rajapaksa and former Director-General of Divi Neguma Department Kithsiri Ranawaka from the 2015 almanacs (‘Lith’) distribution case.
The lawsuit was taken up before High Court Judge Damith Thotawatta this morning.
Minister Rajapaksa and Kithsiri Ranawaka were accused of allegedly misappropriating funds from the Divi Neguma Department to the tune of Rs. 29.4 million to print five million almanacs with the image of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to be used as election propaganda material, during the January 2015 Presidential election.
The Colombo High Court Judge decided to acquit and release the defendants without calling for evidence from the defense on the basis that the charges filed against them were not proven by a sufficient amount of evidence produced by the prosecution.
The court also lifted the travel ban imposed on the Rajapaksa and Ranawaka.
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