Gotabaya and 7 others issued notice over floating armoury

The Colombo Chief Magistrate today issued notice on former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and 7 others to appear before the court in connection with the case filed against them for unlawfully authorizing the establishing of a floating armoury.

The Commission to Investigate into Allegations of Bribery or Corruption yesterday filed a case that said they had caused a loss of Rs 11.4 billion to the state through the illegal establishment of a floating armory in the port of Galle. .

When the case was taken up for hearing, the Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya instructed to file indictments against the suspects. 

Notice was issue on Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Additional Secretary of the State Ministry of Defence Damayanthi Jayaratne, Major General Palitha Fernando, Major General K.B. Egodawela, former Navy Commanders Admiral Somathilake Dissanayake, Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Admiral Jayantha Perera and Avant Garde Chairman retired Major General Nissanka Senadhipathi. 

The armory’s operation through a private company was alleged to have been in violation of law when the Sri Lankan Navy ought to have been the agency to carry out the operation. 

The armory was seized after the presidential polls, the operation getting handed to the Navy.