By Roy Denish.
Shasheendra Rajapaksa indictment moves forward as CIABOC brings corruption charges over alleged compensation misuse in Colombo High Court.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The Shasheendra Rajapaksa indictment moved forward Tuesday after the Colombo High Court served indictments on the former State Minister and two others over corruption charges tied to alleged misuse of official influence to obtain millions in compensation.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) filed the indictments, which came before Colombo High Court Judge Raveendra Premaratne.
The other defendants are Sepalika Saman Kumari, former acting director general of the Office for Reparations, and Keerthi Bandara Kotagama.
After serving the indictments, Judge Premaratne released all three defendants on two surety bails of 10 million rupees, about $29,500, each. The court also imposed an overseas travel ban on the defendants and ordered officials to obtain their fingerprints for an official report.
Shasheendra Rajapaksa Indictment Details
The Shasheendra Rajapaksa indictment carries 10 charges under the Anti-Corruption Act. Prosecutors allege that, between Nov. 27, 2023, and May 29, 2024, the accused used official influence to pressure officers at the Office for Reparations.
That pressure allegedly sought to secure 8.85 million rupees, about $26,000, as compensation for a building and other properties built unlawfully on land owned by the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka in the Sevanagala-Kiriibbanwewa area. Those properties suffered damage during nationwide anti-government protests on May 9, 2022.
CIABOC alleges that the defendants pushed for the compensation despite an earlier official decision that rejected the claim because authorities had found the structures illegal.
The prosecution plans to call 30 witnesses and submit 38 documents as material evidence during the trial.
The court scheduled a pre-trial conference for Aug. 5, setting the next stage in a corruption case that now places the disputed compensation claim under formal judicial scrutiny.
