The state-run Silumina newspaper has predicted that former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, the eldest of the Rajapaksa family, will be arrested soon.
The report is as follows.
“Silumina” has received the information that Chamal Rajapaksa, a former Speaker and a former powerful minister during the Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa governments, is likely to be arrested in the next few days.
He is scheduled to be questioned by the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption on charges of fraudulently obtaining Rs.1,50,22,600 from the government by giving false information that his house and property in Magama, Tissamaharama were set on fire and destroyed during the May 9, 2022, uprising.
It has now been revealed that the property located in Magama, Tissamaharama does not belong to Chamal Rajapaksa, but is in the name of someone else, and that there was no house there and that there was only a paddy warehouse there.
Chamal Rajapaksa has filed an affidavit stating that he is in possession of the relevant property, and subsequent investigation has revealed that there was only a paddy warehouse there.
After it was revealed that the relevant property does not belong to Chamal Rajapaksa, on 27.7.2023, the Additional Secretary (Parliamentary Affairs Division) of the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, R.M.N.E.K. Ranasinghe, under the signature of the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, R.M.N.E.K. Ranasinghe, has informed the Director General of the Office for Compensation that the relevant payments cannot be made under his purview.
However, on 20.07.2023, an assessor of the Valuation Department submitted a valuation report stating that there was a house there and its value is Rs. 1,48,00,000.
Accordingly, an amount of Rs. 222,600 has been received from the government for the damage to the paddy warehouse of Rs. 1,48,00,000 and for the house that did not exist.
Legal action is also to be taken in the future against the government officials who acted contrary to the law and circulars regarding the payment of this money.
( SILUMINA)