Basil arrives; says will respond to fraud allegations

Wednesday, 22 April 2015 01:21 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who left to the US soon after the presidential elections, arrived in the country last afternoon – Pic by Deepa Adikari By Chamodi Gunawardana Former Economic Development Minister and National Organiser of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Basil Rajapaksa, who returned to the country yesterday after spending three months overseas, is to respond to fraud allegations within the next few days Rajapaksa’s lawyer U.R.D. Silva confirmed to the Daily FT that his client would visit the Police Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) within the next two days to provide a statement. Silva said that he arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake from Dubai on board an Emirates Airlines plane and landed at 1.45 p.m. yesterday. He mentioned that public had gathered at the airport to welcome him. “The former minister will be taking time to collect documents which are relevant to investigations within the next two days and he expects to participate in the Parliament session that is scheduled next Monday. The former minister was issued notice under Section 124 of the Criminal Procedure Code on 26 March by Kaduwela Magistrate Dhammika Hemapala to appear before the FCID and give a statement. Former minister Rajapaksa was indicted by the FCID for alleged misappropriation of state funds including the Divi Neguma Department’s bonuses. The funds were purportedly used for the presidential election campaign of his brother, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, while another Rs. 70 million is said to have been used to stage a conference.

Basil says Rajapaksas never committed financial fraud

By Chamodi Gunawardana Former Economic Development Minister and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa yesterday said that neither he nor any other Rajapaksa had engaged in financial fraud. Addressing those gathered to meet him at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake he said that he expected to give his full support to the investigations which were being conducted by the Police’s Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID). “We have never committed any murder or never misappropriated public funds. Our family has not faced these kinds of accusations before,” he explained. “Working as the Former Economic Development Minister I gave my time to poor entrepreneurs as well as established businessmen. Then the past Government was able to increase Sri Lanka’s economic status and those days Sri Lanka’s economic rates were high. However, that development was temporally stopped because of this new political environment. But we believe it will be normal again under our control,” he added.