There is a move to damage my reputation and goodwill- Gotabaya

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday (20) said some elements of the new government struggle to destroy his reputation and goodwill that he had built for years by being instrumental in the country’s struggle to defeat the Tamil rebels.

Rajapaksa went on to say that the move to summon him and his brother to the Bribery Commission is also a part of this conspiracy. 

He added that some powerful individuals of the new government attempt to take revenge from him in spite of his role as the former Defence Secretary who scarified everything for his nation.

During an exclusive interview with Ada Derana, Rajapaksa claimed that he has already declared his assets and liabilities. He said that he never had any intention to siphon off even a few rupees as a government employee.

“I never wanted to maintain any illegal or secret offshore accounts in foreign banks. My pension and the salary was deposited to a state bank in Hunupitiya. I crated that account some 30-years ago,” he said.

Rajapaksa also asserted that a property owned by him in the US was sold prior to his arrival in Sri Lanka and he deposited that money with his wife’s bank account in 2005. “Other than that, I don’t even have a credit card,” said Rajapaksa.