Former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa produced before court

Former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa, who was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), has been produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court a short while ago.

Rajapaksa was arrested by Bribery Commission officers at his residence in Nugegoda this morning (06).

It was reported that he was taken into custody in connection with an incident where compensation was obtained through another individual for a damaged building on a plot of government land in the Sevanagala-Kiriibban Wewa area which was set on fire during the 2022 island-wide protests.

Several properties, including a building that had been illegally constructed on a plot of land belonging to the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority in the Sevanagala-Kiriibban Wewa area, were damaged during the public uprising that took place on May 9, 2022, the Bribery Commission stated.

During the compensation process for the damaged properties, it was identified that the property belonged to the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority, and thus the payment of compensation was rejected. However, it is alleged that Shasheendra Rajapaksa exerted undue influence on certain government officials assigned to the damage assessment office, using his official authority, in an attempt to obtain compensation in violation of the decision.

Furthermore, he is accused of committing and conspiring to commit the offence of corruption in connection with obtaining the said compensation, as well as the unlawful and fraudulent use of government property belonging to the Mahaweli Authority.