Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Namal indicted

Hambantota district  MP Namal Rajapaksa
Hambantota district MP Namal Rajapaksa
Lakmal Sooriyagoda-Wednesday, June 7, 2017
The Colombo High Court served indictments on three persons, including Hambantota district MP Namal Rajapaksa for their alleged involvement in laundering money amounting to Rs.30 million through Gowers Corporate Services between 2013 and 2014 yesterday.
Three accused Namal Rajapaksa, eldest son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Nithya Senani Samaranayake and Sujani Bogollagama who functioned as the directors of Gowers Corporation were ordered to be released on a cash bail of Rs.100,000 with four sureties of Rs.10 million each by Colombo High Court Judge Gihan Kulatunga.
This case is to be taken up before the permanent High Court Judge on June 28. The Attorney General filed indictments against Namal Rajapaksa, Indika Karunajeewa, Sujani Bogollagama, Iresha Silva, Senani Samaranayake and Gowers Corporate Services 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) owned by Namal Rajapaksa.
It was reported that Gowers Corporate Services of Colombo 5, is providing coordinating services to Sri Lankan Airlines.
However, the second, forth and sixth accused Indika Karunajeewa, Iresha Silva and Gowers Corporate Services were not present in Court but represented by attorneys. President’s Counsel Jayantha Weerasinghe with Gamini Marapana PC and counsel Sudantha Bandara appeared for Namal Rajapaksa. 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 while being an MP from the Rs.125 million earned through illegal means.