Former Minister Namal Rajapaksa and five accused were ordered to acquitted and release from the case allegedly committing an offense under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for their alleged involvement in money laundering amounting to Rs.30 million in a company (Gowers Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited by the Colombo High Court.
The order was delivered by Colombo High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe ruling that no evidence of any witness led by the prosecution corroborates the prosecution’s position or the elements of guilt.
At a previous occasion, the defence sought from Court to release the accused under section 200(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code without summoning the defence witnesses. Accordingly, the case was fixed for November 2 to deliver its order regarding the release of the accused under the section 200(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
When the case was taken up before the Court to deliver the Order, Colombo High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe delivered his order after considering the request made by the defence to acquit the accused from the case under Section 200(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Accordingly, Court ordered the acquittal and release of the accused including Namal Rajapakse without calling the defence evidence.
The case was tried under Section 241 of the Criminal Procedure code without the second accused, Indika Karunajeewa, evaded the Court since the inception of the trial.
The open warrant had been issued against the second accused and the Colombo High Court Judge yesterday ordered to withdraw the open warrant and lift the travel ban imposed against him and also ordered to lift the travel ban imposed against fourth accused, Iresha Silva.
The Attorney General had filed indictments against six accused for their alleged involvement in laundering money amounting to Rs.30 million through Gowers Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited. Four accused Namal Rajapaksa, the eldest son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Nithya Senani Samaranayake, Sujani Bogollagama and Iresha Silva, who functioned as the directors of Gowers Corporation Pvt. Ltd, appeared before Court when the case was taken up before the Colombo High Court yesterday.
The Attorney General had filed indictments against former Minister Namal Rajapaksa, Indika Karunajeewa, Sujani Bogollagama, Iresha Silva, Nithya Senani Samaranayake and Gowers Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited on 11 counts under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for their alleged involvement in money laundering amounting to Rs. 30 million in a company (Gowers Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited) owned by Namal Rajapaksa between 2013 and 2014.
It was reported that Gowers Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited of Colombo 5 provides coordinating services to SriLankan Airlines.
The FCID had initiated investigations into this matter following a complaint by Voice against Corruption Convener Wasantha Samarasinghe.
Samarasinghe alleged that MP Namal Rajapaksa had bought shares of a company named Hello Corp and set up a company called Gowers Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited, while being an MP, from the Rs.125 million earned through illegal means.
President’s Counsels Sampath Mendis, Gamini Marapana and Navin Marapana appeared for the defence while Senior Deputy Solicitor General Dilan Rathnayake appeared on behalf of the Attorney General.
Dilshan Tharaka