An army officer has paid the chopper bills of Mahinda

Wednesday, 22 April 2015

The SL Army said that the chopper bills of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family used during the last presidential election has been paid by an army officer.

Officers attached to the Sri Lankan air force revealed this when the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission called an investigation about the deployment of the air force choppers and aircrafts for the election campaign activities of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This took effect when the Elections commissioner forwarded a complaint given to him by the Transparency International Sri Lanka to the Human Rights Commission.

Director communications of the Transparency International Sri Lanka Shan Wijethunga told BBC Sandeshaya when the Human Rights Commission called the investigation the election commissioner, few officers from the elections department and two officers from the SL air force were presented on behalf of the Air force commander.

Two air force officers came to the inquiry told Rs. 175, 35,000 (one hundred and seventy five million thirty five thousand) was paid by an army corporal. The election commissioner and the Human Rights Commission have questioned how an army corporal can pay this.

Shan Wijethunga further told “the army corporal has requested to draw the bill against the Sri Lanka Freedom Party”

The Human Rights Commission has requested the Air Force Commander in writing to submit a detailed report about this discrepancy.

Basil Rajapaksa

A total of 55 air rides has been utilized by the former president and his family for the election propaganda which are still unpaid and out of 55 air rides 23 air rides has been flown by Namal Rajapaksa.

The air Force told the Human Rights Commission following a part payment paid by the army corporal still there is arrears of Rs. 90, 75,000 has to be paid to the SL air force.

During the investigation it was revealed that it was the former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa who has told to provide these choppers for the Rajapaksa family and the SL air force has informed Basil Rajapaksa to pay the total money.

Few days before Wimal Weerawansa told BBC Sandeshaya since the choppers were provided with the intervention of Susil Premjayanth it is the responsibility of the UPFA to pay the arrears.

However the Susil Premjayanth few days before told the media that it is not the responsibility of the UPFA to pay these bills.