Rajitha Senaratne acquitted and released in white van press conference case

The Colombo High Court today (November 29) acquitted and released former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne and former State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) Chairman Rumy Mohamed in the controversial “White Van” press conference case.

The judgment, delivered by High Court Judge Sujeewa Nissanka, follows a lengthy trial involving 14 counts against the accused.

The case stemmed from allegations that Senaratne and Mohamed made false statements about the personal character of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Presidential Candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa during the 2019 Presidential Election.

The accusations arose after a media conference held by Senaratne in the lead-up to the election, where two individuals, Anthony Douglas Fernando and Athula Sanjeewa Madanayake, made controversial claims.

At the press conference, one of the individuals alleged that he was a driver of a “white van” used for abductions, while the other claimed involvement in transporting gold from former LTTE-controlled areas.

These statements suggested links to incidents of abductions, assassinations, robberies, and forced disappearances during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency.

Following the conference, Senaratne was arrested in December 2019 and remanded, though he was later granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on December 30, 2019.

The Attorney General filed a revision application on January 8, 2020, challenging the bail decision.

On September 12, 2022, Senaratne and Mohamed pleaded not guilty to the charges, maintaining their innocence throughout the trial.

Today’s decision acquits both of all charges, bringing an end to the legal proceedings in the controversial case.