The Supreme Court yesterday further extended its Interim Order directing the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar not to commence recording evidence in a case filed against former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and several others in connection with the D.A.Rajapaksa Museum case, until October 14.
The Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprised Justices L.T.B. Dehideniya, S.Thurairaja and E.A.G.R. Amarasekara.
The Supreme Court made this order pursuant to an appeal filed by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa challenging the Court of Appeal’s decision to refuse a revision application which challenged an order made by the permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar to reject his Preliminary Objection over the Court’s jurisdiction to hear the D.A.Rajapaksa Museum case.
This appeal is to be taken up for argument on October 11 before Supreme Court.
On a previous occasion, the Supreme Court had granted leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal order dated July 18, 2019. The case filed against former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and six others in connection with the allegation that the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum and Memorial in Medamulana was built using public funds amounting to Rs.33.9 million, is to be commence for day-to-day trial from October 15 before the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar. Earlier, the Attorney General had informed Supreme Court that he was expecting to bring several amendments to the indictments filed against Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
On February 11, the Permanent High Court-at-Bar decided to overrule preliminary objections raised by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and six others in connection with the D. A. Rajapaksa Museum case citing that the Permanent High Court-at-Bar has jurisdiction to hear this case.
On July 18, this year, the Court of Appeal dismissed a revision application filed by former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa challenging an order made by Permanent High Court-at-Bar to reject his Preliminary Objection against the D. A. Rajapaksa Museum case.
The Attorney General had filed Indictments against seven accused: former Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, members of the director board of the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (LRDC), namely, Chairman Prasad Harshan de Silva, Bhadra Udulawathi Kamaladasa, Sudammika Kheminda Artigala, Saman Kumara Abraham Galappatti, Devage Mahinda Saliya and Srimathi Mallika Kumari Senadheera under seven counts for allegedly misappropriating LRDC funds of Rs.33.9 million. President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva with Ali Sabry PC and Counsel Sugath Caldera under the instructions of counsel Sanath Wijewardane appeared for Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
Senior Deputy Solicitor General Milinda Gunatilleke with Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris appeared for the Attorney General.
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