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Basil discharged in case on misappropriation of funds

15 Oct, 2021

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Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa has been discharged from the case on the misappropriation of funds.

Rajapaksa and the former Director General of Divi Neguma, Kithsiri Ranawaka, were discharged from the 2015 case.

The Attorney General had informed the court that the charges against the Minister has been dropped.

Basil Rajapaksa was accused of misappropriating Rs.29.4 million funds belonging to the Divi Neguma Department for the Presidential Elections in 2015.

Rajapaksa and three others were charged of using the funds from the Divi Neguma Department to print five million almanacs with the image of then President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Basil Rajapaksa was accused of attempting to distribute the almanacs with a view of influencing citizens to vote for then Presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Basil Rajapaksa was charged for bribery under Section 79 of the Presidential Election Act No. 15 of 1981 and misappropriation under the Public Property Act No. 12 of 1982 by the Attorney General. (Colombo Gazette)

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