The almanac case filed against two accused including former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa was yesterday fixed for trial on November 28 by the Colombo High Court.
The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Gihan Kulathunga and summons were issued to five prosecution witnesses to appear on the next trial date.
The Attorney General had filed indictments against the former Minister and former Director General of Divi Neguma Department, Kithsiri Ranawaka in the Colombo High Court for allegedly printing five million almanacs with the image of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a cost of Rs. 29.4 million from funds belonging to the Divi Neguma Department, to be used as election propaganda material, during the January 2015 Presidential Election.
The Attorney General alleged that by printing these almanacs between November 23 and December 31, 2014, these accused had attempted to influence citizens of this country to vote for Presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The AG maintained that the act of the accused deems them guilty of the offence of bribery in accordance with Section 79 of the Presidential Election Act No. 15 of 1981.
Furthermore, the two accused have been charged with misappropriation under the Public Property Act No. 12 of 1982. The AG had listed 32 people including Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya as witnesses in the case.
Senior State Counsel Sudarshana Silva appeared for the Attorney General. President’s Counsel Anil Silva with Jayantha Weerasinghe, PC, appeared for the accused.
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