Ven. Thiniyawala Palitha Thera yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking an order directing the Attorney General to initiate both criminal and civil proceedings against State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabral and Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundera for alleged illegal financial transactions with public funds causing a loss to the State.
The petitioner has named State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Secretary to the President Dr.P.B.Jayasundera, Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle, Central Bank Governor Prof.W.D. Lakshman, Inspector General of Police and Attorney General as respondents.
The petitioner stated that it was reported in an English weekend newspaper on April 11, 2021 under the heading of “In 2014, the Government paid US$ 6.5 million to CIA mole,who has now been jailed in the US.
The petitioner said according to the newspaper article the Sri Lankan government in 2014 paid US$ 6.5 million through the Central Bank to an American businessman named Imaad Shah Zuberi, who was a CIA mole, to buy influence and fix its image in the US. The petitioner further said US Court has held that out of the said money given to him on behalf of Sri Lankan Taxpayers, US$ 5.6 million or 80% of it had been spent on himself and his wife. The petitioner said former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabral has paid the sum of US$ 6.5 million without having prior approval from the parliament, Cabinet of Ministers in violation of Article 150 of the constitution.
The petitioner stated that the losses caused to the State as a result of the corrupt dealings of former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal in relation to the government sovereign bonds issued during the period of 2005 to 2015 is estimated at Rs.10 Billion. The petitioner stated that both respondents being the public servants and also holding high ranking offices of the financial sector in Sri Lanka have acted fraudulently and surreptitiously and thereby shirked their fundamental duties and obligations statutorily cast upon them.
